Taekwondo instructor accused of killing toddler abused victim 140 times, police say

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Taekwondo instructor accused of killing toddler abused victim 140 times, police say

Published: 13 Nov. 2024, 14:47 Updated: 13 Nov. 2024, 14:48

The taekwondo instructor who suffocated a three-year-old child is being handed over to the prosecution from the Uijeongbu Police Precinct in Gyeonggi on July 19. [NEWS1]

The taekwondo instructor charged with suffocating a toddler was revealed to have abused the boy at least 140 times before the fatal incident, according to police.

On July 12, the instructor rolled the child up inside a mattress at a taekwondo studio in Yangju, Gyeonggi, restricting the boy’s breathing for approximately 27 minutes. The child was transported to a hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries 11 days later.

Following the incident, the police arrested the instructor on charges of child abuse resulting in death. Police restored the studio's CCTV footage, which the perpetrator had deleted immediately after the event.

The contents were made public on media outlet JTBC on Monday, with consent from the surviving family.

The recovered footage showed the instructor forcefully hitting the child's head, harshly pinching his cheeks, and pushing his face, causing the child to stumble backward. A police investigation determined the instructor had abused the child at least 140 times from May until the date of the fatal incident.

The child, who was 101 centimeters (3.31 feet) tall and weighed 14 kilograms (30.9 pounds), was smaller than his peers. The cause of death was brain injuries due to a lack of oxygen.

The child's family decided to discontinue life-sustaining treatment after doctors told them recovery was unlikely.

Footage of the taekwondo instructor abusing the child in July, released by JTBC on Monday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]

On Tuesday evening, a user presumed to be the child's mother commented on JTBC’s YouTube video of the released CCTV footage.

The comment read that the family decided to release the video “to prevent tragedies like this from happening to other children” and push for stronger child abuse laws.

“Though my son has become a star in the sky, I hope that many other children can live in a happy world,” read the comment. “This case must not be forgotten, and only with strict punishment will children be able to live bright and happy lives.”

"It was just a joke; I had no intention of abusing him," said the taekwondo instructor during police questioning.

Police plan to include the newly uncovered abuse incidents from the restored CCTV footage in the charges against the instructor. The trial is scheduled to proceed with closing arguments on Dec. 19, followed by the final sentencing.

BY KIM MIN-YOUNG [[email protected]]