Haedeun, Who Lived Only 133 Days... Ruthless Birth Mother Faces Life Sentence

A rally demanding severe punishment for the birth mother accused of abusing her 4-month-old son to death is taking place in front of the Suncheon Branch of the Gwangju District Court in Wangji-dong, Suncheon City, Jeonnam on the 26th. Photo by Yonhap News

원본보기 아이콘

Prosecutors have demanded a life sentence for a woman in her 30s who inflicted indiscriminate abuse on her 4-month-old son over an extended period, resulting in his death. In front of the courthouse where the trial was held, citizens and rows of condolence wreaths continued to arrive, calling for severe punishment in what has become known as the 'Haedeun Case.'

At the sentencing hearing held on March 26, 2026, by the Criminal Division 1 of the Suncheon Branch of the Gwangju District Court (presided over by Judge Kim Yong-kyu), prosecutors sought life imprisonment for Ms. A (a woman in her 30s), who was indicted on charges including child abuse resulting in death under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes. Prosecutors also requested a 10-year restriction on employment. In addition, for Mr. B, her husband, who was also indicted and detained for violating the Child Welfare Act and other charges for neglecting the abuse despite knowing about it and threatening a witness to the case, prosecutors requested a prison sentence of 10 years and a 10-year employment restriction.

Ms. A stands accused of brutally assaulting her 4-month-old son, Haedeun, and leaving him unattended in a baby bathtub with running water at their home in Yeosu, Jeonnam, on October 22, 2025. The child died from multiple fractures and hemorrhaging, among other injuries.

Initially, prosecutors brought Ms. A to trial on charges of child abuse resulting in death. However, after analyzing more than 4,800 home camera videos obtained through a search of the residence, further evidence of severe abuse was uncovered. As a result, the indictment was amended to the more serious charge of child abuse homicide, which carries a heavier statutory penalty.

The videos reportedly show Ms. A treating her son like a toy, including stepping on the face of the sleeping infant and grabbing his ankles to throw him onto the bed, even before the incident occurred. When the baby cried, she responded with harsh profanity and physical assault. Although Mr. B expressed suspicion and tried to stop the abuse, Ms. A denied the allegations, according to the investigation. When these videos were recently released through a television broadcast, they sparked national outrage.

On the day of the sentencing hearing, approximately 170 condolence wreaths sent by citizens from across the country lined a 200-meter stretch in front of the Suncheon Branch courthouse. Messages expressing mourning and calling for severe punishment, such as "Haedeun, we love you very much," "May you receive only love in your next life," and "Impose the maximum sentence under the law," were densely written on the wreaths and nearby areas.

Parents belonging to the group 'Parents Calling for Strict Punishment for Child Abuse' held a press conference in front of the courthouse, stating tearfully, "We are here to hold someone accountable for not being able to protect Haedeun, who only lived for 133 days," and appealed to the court not to issue lenient sentences for horrific crimes such as child abuse homicide, but instead to impose the maximum penalty under the law.

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.