"Haedeun Case" Defendant, Birth Mother, Appeals Life Sentence Verdict

Appeal Filed Challenging Severity of Sentence and Denying Intent to Kill

The defendant in her 30s, the birth mother involved in the so-called "Haedeun Case," in which her four-month-old son died after being brutally abused, has appealed the life imprisonment sentence handed down in the first trial.

According to the Suncheon Branch of Gwangju District Court on April 29, Ms. A, who was indicted on charges including child abuse resulting in death under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes and was sentenced to life imprisonment in the first trial, recently submitted a notice of appeal to the court.

On the afternoon of the 23rd, just before the first trial verdict of the so-called 'Haedeun case,' where Haedeun passed away at 133 days old due to child abuse, condolence flower wreaths commemorating Haedeun, who died from abuse by his biological parents, were placed in front of the Suncheon Branch of the Gwangju District Court. Photo by Min Hyunki

Ms. A reportedly stated that the life sentence imposed in the first trial was excessively severe and unfair, and she intends to seek a reassessment of the court’s recognition of her intent to kill. During the trial, Ms. A admitted to the abuse but consistently claimed that she had no intention of killing her son.

However, the first trial court found Ms. A guilty of intentional homicide, noting the brutality of her actions, which included indiscriminately assaulting the baby and leaving him unattended in a bathtub with the water running. Ms. A was indicted for beating her son and leaving him in the bathtub at their home in Yeosu in October last year, resulting in his death from multiple fractures and hemorrhaging. An investigation revealed that Ms. Hwang had habitually abused the child a total of 19 times prior to the crime.

It has not yet been confirmed whether Mr. B, her husband, who was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for neglecting to stop the abuse, will file an appeal. The prosecution is focusing on maintaining the charges against Ms. A, who received a life sentence, and plans to appeal the sentence for Mr. B, as it falls short of the prosecution’s original request for a 10-year prison term.

Meanwhile, the case has been widely referred to as the "Haedeun Case" after home surveillance footage revealing signs of abuse was released through the television program "Unanswered Questions," sparking nationwide outrage and calls for severe punishment. The appeal trial will be held at the Gwangju High Court.

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