20s Son Sentenced to 4 Years for Starving Father to Death After Discharge Due to No Hospital Fees

Daegu District Court.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-woo] A man in his 20s was sentenced to four years in prison for discharging his seriously ill father from the hospital without being able to pay for the medical bills and failing to provide prescribed medication and food, which led to his father starving to death.

The Daegu District Court Criminal Division 11 (Presiding Judge Lee Sang-oh) sentenced Mr. A, who was tried on charges of killing a direct ascendant, to four years in prison on the 13th.

According to the court, Mr. A did not properly provide prescribed medication to his father, who was unable to move due to worsening symptoms, since April.

In May, he is accused of leaving his father without food for eight days, causing him to starve to death.

The father had been diagnosed with deep cerebral hemorrhage and subarachnoid hemorrhage since September last year and had been hospitalized for seven months. Initially, the younger brother (Mr. A’s uncle) paid for the treatment, but when he could no longer afford the hospital bills, Mr. A reportedly discharged his father from the hospital.

At the time of discharge, the father was paralyzed in his left limbs and had difficulty moving. He was in a state where nutritional supply was impossible without the help of a caregiver, as he was receiving food through a nasogastric tube inserted in his nose for enteral feeding.

It was confirmed that Mr. A’s father died from pneumonia and other complications in a state of malnutrition.

During the prosecution investigation, Mr. A said, “It was hard to live taking care of him every two hours daily without any hope of recovery, and due to financial difficulties, I thought I should just let him pass away.”

The court stated, “It is difficult to see that the defendant intentionally caused the victim’s death through active acts, and considering that the defendant shows remorse for his actions and will have to live with guilt over his father’s death after release, among other factors.”

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