Forced Feeding Causes Disabled Person's Suffocation... Social Worker Sentenced to 4 Years in Prison

Severe 1st-Degree Disabled Victim Forced to Eat Tteokbokki and Gimbap, Leading to Death
Forced to Eat Food 7 Times Over 4 Months
Court: "Even Non-Disabled Adults Could Not Chew and Swallow Properly"

On the 29th, a social worker who was prosecuted for causing the death of a person with a disability in their 20s by forcibly feeding them was sentenced to four years in prison.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Jung-wan] A social worker at a day care center in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, who was arrested and prosecuted for forcibly feeding disliked food to a person with severe level 1 autism, resulting in death by choking, was sentenced to four years in prison.

The 15th Criminal Division of the Incheon District Court (Presiding Judge Lee Gyu-hoon) sentenced social worker Hwang Mo (30), who was arrested and prosecuted on charges of violating the Welfare of Persons with Disabilities Act and abuse resulting in death, to four years in prison at the sentencing hearing held on the afternoon of the 29th. The court also imposed a five-year ban on employment at disability-related institutions.

The court pointed out, "The victim was an autistic person with not only intellectual disabilities but also reduced physical abilities, and received continuous treatment," adding, "The defendant forcibly put food into the victim’s mouth so quickly that even non-disabled adults would have difficulty chewing and swallowing."

The court stated, "Considering that the defendant, as a social worker at a facility for disabled persons, committed acts of abuse against a victim with vulnerable physical and mental abilities in violation of their duties, the nature of the crime is not light," and "The crime was committed against a victim with significantly limited ability to defend themselves, making the blameworthiness high, and the severe outcome of death occurred, making punishment commensurate with the guilt unavoidable."

Furthermore, the court said, "Even after the crime, the defendant appeared to be more concerned with minimizing the offense, showing a lack of professional dedication, and it is doubtful whether there is any remorse for the victim," adding, "The victim’s family has expressed great mental pain and loss and is petitioning for severe punishment, but consideration was given to the fact that the victim was a first-time offender with no prior criminal record."

Earlier, at the sentencing hearing held on the 7th, the prosecution requested a 10-year prison sentence for Hwang, stating that the crime was committed without professionalism and ethical awareness as a social worker.

Hwang’s defense argued that there was no intent to abuse, no causal relationship between the abuse and the death, and no foreseeability of death, denying all charges.

However, the court did not accept these claims, judging from the evidence that Hwang used physical force to restrain the victim while feeding food, even resorted to assault, and forcibly fed food quickly to the intellectually disabled victim, causing airway obstruction and death by choking.

Hwang was arrested and prosecuted for forcibly feeding tteokbokki and gimbap to Jang Mo (male, in his 20s), a level 1 severely disabled person residing at a day care center for the disabled in Yeonsu-gu, Incheon, at around 11:45 a.m. on August 6 last year, resulting in his death.

Investigations revealed that from May to August, over a total of four months, Hwang forcibly fed food to Jang seven times, leading to his death.

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