Prosecutors Appeal First Trial Acquittal of Parents in 'Abandonment and Death of Daughter' Case

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo Byung-don] The biological parents accused of causing the death of their newborn daughter by failing to properly care for her were acquitted in the first trial, prompting the prosecution to file an appeal.

According to the court on the 8th, the prosecution submitted an appeal to the Criminal Division 13 of the Seoul Southern District Court (Chief Judge Lee Sang-joo) the day before.

Earlier, the first trial court acquitted the biological father Kim (44) and biological mother Jo (42), who were charged with abandonment resulting in death, on the 2nd.

Kim was charged with causing the death of his biological daughter by neglect after doubting whether the daughter born to Jo, with whom he was in a de facto marital relationship, in October 2010 was indeed his biological child.

This case came to light when Jo, who had been living separately from her husband since 2016, turned herself in to the police in March 2017, seven years after the child's death, saying, "I feel guilty and want to be punished."

The first trial court stated, "It is difficult to fully trust the statements of biological mother Jo, who is the key witness in this case, and other evidence is indirect or expert evidence, so it cannot be considered to directly support the charges."

It further explained the ruling by saying, "Based on the evidence presented alone, it is not objectively proven that Kim neglected his young biological daughter, causing her death and abandonment."

The second trial will be held at the Seoul High Court.

Meanwhile, the first trial court was scheduled to deliver its verdict in November 2019, but Kim fled without attending the trial.

Kim, who was wanted, surrendered to the police in May.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.