Prosecutors seek 30-year sentence for mother who starved 19-month-old daughter to death

Prosecutors have sought a heavy prison sentence for a woman in her 20s accused of neglecting her infant daughter to death through starvation.

At a final hearing Tuesday before the 14th Criminal Division of Incheon District Court, presided over by Judge Son Seung-beom, prosecutors asked for 30 years in prison and five years of probation after release for the defendant, identified only as A, 29, who was indicted on charges of child abuse homicide under the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes, among other charges.

"The defendant neglected the victim child for an extended period without proper care, causing the child to suffer physical and mental anguish for two months before dying," prosecutors said.

They added that A had been fully aware of the child's deteriorating condition yet "lived her personal life as if the child did not exist, spending her time enjoying herself." The infant had expressed her distress through crying, but her cries went unheeded. "The defendant, as a mother with a duty to raise her child, appears to have been fully aware of what she was doing, yet shows no sign of remorse," prosecutors said.

Prosecutors also said A's prolonged pattern of violent and irresponsible behavior made the risk of reoffending in child abuse crimes "very high."

They added that A had shown only an evasive attitude throughout the investigation and that "her overall disposition does not appear likely to improve easily," making probation necessary.

A's defense attorney argued, however, that A, who has a full-scale IQ of 75, had acted impulsively under financial hardship and the stress of child-rearing, and that there was no intent to harm.

The defense also contended that A lacked the capacity to understand what consequences her actions — including delaying outpatient treatment when the child's condition was worsening — would have on the child.

"A received no support from the fathers of her two children and relied on welfare benefits to get by," the defense said, arguing that "this was not a deliberate, cruel crime but a tragedy caused by a vulnerable single mother unable to bear the weight of parenting in the absence of a social safety net."

A also delivered a final statement in court.

"My reckless choices have left an indelible stain on my life," she said. "I have committed a sin against my baby that I should never have committed, and I deeply repent. I will accept whatever punishment is given."

She added: "If you believe in my will to change and grant me a lenient sentence, I will keep in mind that this is not the end and become a person who leads by example through my actions."

Home security camera footage from A's residence, partially shown in court Tuesday, captured scenes of her shouting at her daughter B, who was 19 months old at the time.

In footage from Jan. 28, A was seen yelling at the crying infant, saying "Hey, get up, aren't you listening?" and threatening to "break her wrists."

On other occasions, A was seen berating B as the child cried and coughed as if retching, shouting things like "Didn't I tell you to clean the room?" and "Didn't I tell you not to cause trouble?"

A was indicted on charges of causing B's death by withholding food at their home in Namdong-gu, Incheon, on March 4, and of physically abusing her older daughter on two separate occasions.

An autopsy determined that B died of malnutrition and dehydration.

At the time of her death, B was 19 months old and weighed just 4.7 kilograms — less than half the average weight of 10.4 kilograms for girls her age.

Prosecutors' investigation found that A had long regretted having B and regarded caring for her as a burden.

From January onward, A stopped giving B adequate milk or baby food and left her confined to a room, at one point going as long as 67 hours without feeding her.

In the five days beginning Feb. 28, leading up to B's death, A left the child alone at home for 92 of 120 hours while visiting an amusement park and a jjimjilbang, a Korean sauna.

A, a basic livelihood security recipient and single-parent household, received more than 3 million won ($1,960) per month in public assistance, including welfare payments and child allowances. She also collected groceries daily from a food bank for low-income households.

Despite this support, A used a portion of the funds each month to purchase a musical theater membership and make donations. Her home was also found to contain the carcasses of two dogs, animal waste and cigarette butts left strewn about.

At the third hearing held June 23 before the same court division, photographs of the interior of A's home and images of B were also shown in court.

Photos taken throughout A's home showed belongings scattered in disarray. The kitchen sink was piled with unwashed dishes, and a nearly full container of infant formula sat untouched on the counter.

The prosecutor at that hearing said B "showed significantly delayed physical development compared to children her age," and that analysis of the opened formula container revealed the amount consumed was, contrary to A's claims, insufficient for a child of B's age and developmental stage. "Home camera analysis shows B was always in her room while the defendant spent most of her time in the master bedroom and living room — she did not enter the room unless it was to give formula," the prosecutor said.

A, who appeared in court wearing a light green prison uniform, occasionally offered clear explanations of what was happening as the home camera footage played, but remained silent for most of the session.

Police responded to a report from a relative on March 4, discovered B's body at the scene and immediately arrested A.

The statutory penalty for child abuse resulting in death — applied when intent to kill is not established — is life imprisonment or a minimum of five years. If the more serious charge of intentional child abuse homicide is upheld, the court may impose the death penalty, life imprisonment or a minimum of seven years.