Daughter Who Left Mother's Body Unattended for Over 2 Years Receives Suspended Sentence: "In Despair, Did Not Hold Funeral"

A daughter who left her deceased mother’s body in a skeletal state at home for over two years to continue receiving pension payments was released on probation.

Judge Lee Eun-ju of the Incheon District Court Criminal Division 14 sentenced A (47), who was detained and indicted on charges including corpse abandonment, to two years in prison with a three-year probation on the 14th during the sentencing hearing.

The judge stated, "The defendant lived with the victim alone since 2016, and the other children did not meet with either the defendant or the victim," adding, "They had a good relationship while the victim was alive, and the defendant took care of her by noting down diabetes medication records."

She continued, "When the victim’s health rapidly deteriorated, the defendant tried to take her to the hospital, but the victim insisted on not going due to lack of money," and explained, "After discovering her deceased mother, the defendant, in a state of despair, thought about dying together and did not hold a funeral."

The judge acknowledged, "The defendant’s failure to report the mother’s death and fraudulent receipt of the national pension benefits is a serious offense," but also noted, "Considering that the defendant admitted to the crime, showed remorse, and is a first-time offender," as reasons for the sentencing decision.

A had been on trial while in custody and was released after receiving a probation sentence by the court’s leniency on this day.

Previously, the prosecution requested a three-year prison sentence for A at the sentencing hearing last month, stating, "The defendant neglected her mother, who suffered from diabetes and was unable to eat properly, and left the body unattended for two years and five months without holding a funeral."

Daughter left mother's body at home for over two years
[Photo by Yonhap News]

A was detained and indicted on charges of leaving the body of her deceased mother B (76 at the time of death) unattended for two years and five months in her villa in Namdong-gu, Incheon, from August 2020 to January this year.

She is also accused of neglecting B, who had diabetes and mobility difficulties, by not providing hospital treatment, and fraudulently receiving about 18 million won in national pension and basic pension payments from August 2020.

A was caught by police who responded to a report from B’s fourth daughter on January 11, stating, "I couldn’t contact mom, so I went to the house, but my sister who lives there wouldn’t open the door."

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