[Breaking] Supreme Court Confirms 8 Years 6 Months Prison Sentence for Mother Who Abused and Killed 15-Month-Old Daughter and Abandoned the Body

The biological mother who neglected her 15-month-old daughter, leading to the child's death, and then concealed the body for nearly three years has been sentenced to a heavy punishment.

On the 16th, the Supreme Court Division 1 (Presiding Justice Seo Kyunghwan) upheld the original sentence in the appeal trial of Seo (36, female), who was detained and prosecuted on charges including child abuse resulting in death under the Child Abuse Punishment Act, concealment of a corpse, and violation of the Social Security Benefits Act. Seo was sentenced to 8 years and 6 months in prison, ordered to complete 80 hours of a child abuse treatment program, and banned from employment in child-related institutions for 5 years.

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The court explained the reason for dismissing Seo’s appeal, stating, "There is no error in the original court’s judgment that violates the rules of logic and experience or exceeds the limits of free evaluation of evidence, nor is there a misunderstanding of the legal principles regarding the establishment of the crime of child abuse resulting in death under the Child Abuse Punishment Act, the principle of evidence-based judgment, or the conspiracy relationship in the crime of corpse concealment."

Seo was charged with neglecting her 15-month-old daughter, causing her death, concealing the body, and, even after the daughter’s death, failing to report the death and unlawfully receiving childcare allowance and child benefits together with her ex-husband Choi (31).

The first trial court sentenced Seo to 7 years and 6 months in prison. She received 5 years for child abuse resulting in death, 2 years for corpse concealment, and 6 months for violating the Social Security Benefits Act. She was also ordered to complete 80 hours of a child abuse treatment program and was banned from working in child-related institutions for 5 years.

The second trial court increased the sentence by one year compared to the first trial, sentencing her to 8 years and 6 months in prison.

Similar to the first trial, the court sentenced Seo to 2 years for corpse concealment and 6 months for violating the Social Security Benefits Act, while increasing the sentence for child abuse resulting in death by one year to 6 years in prison.

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