"I Want to Play More with Dad..." 5-Year-Old Daughter Forgives Dad Who Choked and Hit Her with a Smile

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[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Sumi] A man in his 40s who strangled his 5-year-old daughter's neck and assaulted his wife was sentenced to a suspended prison term.

On the 12th, the Chuncheon District Court Criminal Division 2 (Presiding Judge Park Jinyoung) sentenced A (44), who was tried on charges of child abuse and assault under the Child Welfare Act, to 10 months in prison with a 2-year suspension in the first trial.

On December 26 last year, around 12:30 PM, A had an argument with his wife over credit card usage. Unable to control his anger, A told his wife to "leave the house," but she refused.

Then, A threatened to kill their daughter B (5) and strangled B's neck in the master bedroom. When his wife tried to stop him, A strangled her neck and punched her face and body multiple times. B witnessed this scene right in front of her eyes.

Later, A was tried on charges of child abuse and assault under the Child Welfare Act. He denied strangling his daughter, but the first trial court found the wife's and B's testimonies to be detailed and credible, acknowledging that A strangled B so hard that she had difficulty breathing and her neck turned red.

Presiding Judge Park pointed out, "Despite the responsibility to protect and nurture the victim's health, happiness, and safety more than anyone else, the defendant committed physical and emotional abuse, which is a serious offense."

However, he explained the sentencing reason, "Considering that after the incident, A seemed to have made efforts to comfort B's psychological trauma and restore their relationship, and that a video was submitted showing B smiling brightly while saying she did not want to punish her father and wanted to play together, A was sentenced to 10 months in prison with a 2-year suspension."

The prosecution was dismissed regarding the assault on the wife, as she withdrew her intention to press charges.

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