The Tragic Death of a 4-Year-Old Child: The Reality of Abuse by Her Biological Mother and Cohabitant

Two years ago today, on June 30, 2023, the Busan District Court conducted the first trial of a child abuse case that shocked South Korean society. It was a trial concerning a woman in her twenties, Ms. Lee, who was charged with abusing her 4-year-old child, discovered in a mummified state, leading to the child’s death.

The court stated, "The pain felt by the victim, who died locked away in a home without even seeing sunlight and was starved and beaten by her mother, is unimaginable. Not only did she betray the love and trust the child had in her mother, whom she believed would love and protect her, but it was also an inhumane act that mercilessly stomped on human dignity."

The court sentenced Ms. Lee to 35 years in prison for violations of the Special Act on the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes (Child Abuse Murder) among other charges.

During the trial, Ms. Lee expressed, "I have committed a crime deserving of death. I deeply reflect on what I have done that cannot be forgiven and will live my life in atonement," shedding tears, but she lodged an appeal against the first trial's ruling.

The Horrors of Extreme Malnutrition and Continuous Abuse

On December 14 of last year, Ms. Lee caused the death of her biological daughter, A, who was 4 years and 5 months old, through violence.

On the day of the incident, A was violently beaten for secretly eating snacks, and despite being punished, she repeatedly said, "Mom, I'm hungry. Please give me food," for which she was hit multiple times in the eye and had her head pressed down.

A had not eaten properly since June 2022. Ms. Lee provided little food, often citing reasons like the child sneaking food or being too bothersome to prepare meals, only offering a small bowl of rice with diluted milk about once a day.

As a result, A reached a severe state of malnutrition, measuring only 87 cm and weighing 7 kg at the time of her death, which is significantly below the average height (104.6 cm) and weight (17.1 kg) of a 4-year-old child. This was similar to the weight of a 4-month-old baby.

In November 2021, Ms. Lee injured A's eye while carelessly swinging her arm, leading to a diagnosis requiring optic nerve surgery, but she neglected it, worsening the child's vision to the point where she could barely distinguish colors.

Accomplices in Forcing Prostitution and Assisting Child Abuse

Meanwhile, in September 2020, Ms. Lee moved in with a couple named Choi after fleeing her husband's domestic violence, having met them through an online parenting information café. However, the Choi couple forced Ms. Lee into prostitution for at least a year and a half, resulting in 1,574 instances, from which they pocketed a profit of 130.75 million won.

They even stole the child allowance allocated to A, and on the day of A’s death, it was revealed that Ms. Lee had engaged in prostitution about four times.

Ms. Lee testified at Choi's trial, stating, "The child stole carrots and potatoes covered in dirt and ate spicy fish stew. Sometimes she would eat twenty candies at once," adding that Choi would scold A to correct what he called her bad habits, saying, "Your child is disrespecting you."

Furthermore, she mentioned, "Choi would say, 'You have to hit here to make it hurt. You have to hit here really hard,' and he would hit the child himself."

The Psychological Structure of Abuse and Final Verdict

The presence of a man named B, who lived with them for six months, is also suspected to be a reason Ms. Lee submitted to Choi.

B had a relationship with Choi before marrying, and there are allegations that he abused and monitored Ms. Lee when her prostitution activities faltered.

The first trial court noted, "Ms. Lee, who has a strong sense of inferiority and is excessively dependent on her surroundings, appears to have taken Choi as a role model in a socially isolated situation," indicating that she was likely trapped under Choi's influence.

Although Ms. Lee appealed her sentence, it was upheld in the second trial, confirming her 35-year prison sentence and a fine of 5 million won.

Choi received a 20-year prison sentence and a confiscation order of 124.5 million won, while Choi's husband was sentenced to three years in prison with a four-year suspension.

The Choi couple also appealed, but the second trial court maintained the first ruling, stating, "The cohabiting couple has responsibility as 'guardians of A,' and they allowed A's deteriorating health to lead to her death."

Image source: sbs 'I Want to Know That', reference images for understanding the article / gettyimagesbank