Pastor charged with killing 11-year-old also collected disability support payments for the child

A pastor at a church in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, who was indicted on charges of fatally abusing an 11-year-old child with disabilities, was also working as the victim's registered disability activity support worker and collecting the associated government payments, authorities confirmed.

The South Chungcheong Provincial Police Agency said Friday that the suspect, identified only as A, a 62-year-old woman charged with child abuse resulting in death, had been officially registered as a disability activity support worker for the boy, referred to as B, who died.

The government's disability activity support program provides in-home assistance to people with disabilities, covering bathing, housekeeping, nursing care, rehabilitation, transportation and physical activities. Workers qualify by completing a designated training course.

When A obtained her certification as a support worker is not known, but B was approved to receive disability activity support services in June and began receiving them. Records show he received 22 hours and 30 minutes of support in June, 114 hours and 30 minutes in July, and 15 hours and 30 minutes in August, with A collecting payments for each period.

Even while A had chained B to a bed for 38 hours, records show she logged 5 hours and 30 minutes of activity support services provided to the child each day.

"We have confirmed that A was the victim's activity support worker and that she received the associated payments," a police official said. "We plan to investigate whether A fraudulently collected additional disability activity support payments."

A's first trial hearing is scheduled for Sept. 21 at the Cheonan branch of Daejeon District Court.