"Terrifyingly Horrific"... Stepfather Sexually Assaults and Murders 20-Month-Old Daughter

Published 27 Aug.2021 20:10(KST)

Defendant "Admits All Charges"
Biological Mother of Victim Child Conceals Child's Corpse in Icebox

Yang, who killed his 20-month-old daughter and left her in an icebox, is leaving Dunsan Police Station in Daejeon to attend the warrant hearing. / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] A man in his 20s, who was arrested and indicted on charges of sexually assaulting, abusing, and ultimately killing his 20-month-old daughter, admitted all charges in court.

The Criminal Division 12 of Daejeon District Court (Presiding Judge Yoo Seok-cheol) held the first trial on the 27th for Yang (29, male), who is charged with child abuse resulting in death under the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes and violations of the Special Act on the Punishment of Sexual Violence Crimes, and Jeong (25, female), who is charged with concealment of a corpse.

According to the prosecution, on the early morning of June 15, at their residence in Daedeok-gu, Daejeon, Yang covered the 20-month-old child with a blanket after the child would not sleep and cried, then punched the child dozens of times and stomped on them. Yang was reportedly intoxicated at the time.

Yang twisted and pulled the child’s leg, breaking it, and threw the child against the wall, continuing the assault for about an hour, which ultimately led to the child’s death. It was also investigated that he, along with his wife Jeong, the deceased child’s biological mother, hid the body in an icebox in the bathroom of their home.

The prosecution stated, “(He) struck the child’s crown about 10 times with a hard object,” and “the victim struggled and kicked during the assault.” Yang is also known to have previously raped or attempted to rape the victimized girl.

Both defendants admitted to all charges.

However, Jeong’s lawyer argued, “Jeong appeared to have been in a psychological state of domination, suffering from violence and threats by her husband Yang.”

Meanwhile, during the police investigation, Yang consistently claimed to be the child’s biological father, but DNA testing revealed that he was not.

Public outrage against the defendants continued online, including on internet mom cafes, with about 90 petitions demanding severe punishment flooding the court within two weeks.

At the trial, Gong Hye-jung, president of the Korea Child Abuse Prevention Association, who attended in person, said, “While working with the association, I have encountered many tragic cases of abuse, but none as horrifying as this case,” and appealed, “It is appropriate to impose the maximum sentence on the defendants.”