85-year-old woman named chief suspect in mass poisoning at senior center

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85-year-old woman named chief suspect in mass poisoning at senior center

Published: 30 Sep. 2024, 17:49

SEO JI-EUN
seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr

A police line is established at a senior community center in Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang, on July 17 following a pesticide poisoning incident that left four women hospitalized and one dead. [YONHAP]

Authorities on Monday identified an 85-year-old woman who passed away as the prime suspect in a pesticide poisoning at a senior citizen center in North Gyeongsang on July 15.

The suspect, referred to by her surname Kwon, allegedly spiked coffee with pesticide, leading to the poisoning of five elderly women, including herself. Due to her death, however, the case will be closed without further legal action, the Gyeongbuk Provincial Police announced Monday.

The incident occurred during the boknal, traditionally associated with consuming restorative foods on the hottest summer days to combat the heat, where 41 members of a local women's senior center gathered for duck meat at a restaurant in Bonghwa County in North Gyeongsang. After returning to the senior center, five of them drank coffee and collapsed from poisoning. The case, which involved the deliberate contamination of a shared beverage, shocked the small community.

Three of the four surviving victims were discharged from the hospital between July 25 and 29. However, a 69-year-old woman, surnamed Kim, remains unconscious and has been transferred to a long-term care facility for treatment.

Kwon, the identified suspect, was hospitalized on July 18. After her health deteriorated, she was transferred to Andong Hospital but passed away on July 30.

The police found pesticide substances in the four surviving victims as well as Kwon — etofenprox and terbufos. Kwon's system contained three additional substances: phorate, fluxametamide and azoxystrobin.

The police confirmed through the CCTV footage that Kwon entered the senior center alone on July 13, two days before the incident. She stayed in the building for approximately six minutes from 12:20 p.m. Following her exit, pesticide traces were found on objects she touched near the center.

Additional evidence came from a witness who saw Kwon pouring water into a coffee pot in the senior center’s living room on July 12. Forensic analysis later confirmed that the same pesticide was found on the coffee pot and the countertop in the kitchen area.

While searching Kwon’s residence, police found granules of pesticide scattered around her yard and house. Laboratory tests confirmed that the granules matched the pesticide in the contaminated beverage bottle.

The police concluded that Kwon likely diluted the pesticide granules in water and placed the mixture into the drink bottle stored in the senior center’s refrigerator. Unaware of the contamination, the victims poured the tainted coffee into paper cups and consumed it, leading to symptoms of poisoning.

While investigators believe the poisoning was motivated by personal disputes, the exact motive remains unclear.

Interviews with center members revealed that the women — including Kwon — played frequent card games and had frequent disputes with others.

However, the authorities added that they cannot confirm a specific trigger for Kwon's actions due to her death.

BY SEO JI-EUN [seo.jieun1@joongang.co.kr]