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Mother sentenced to 15 years for starving infant son to death

Published: 23 Apr. 2025, 17:09

Child abuse illustration [JOONGANG ILBO]

A mother in her 20s was sentenced to a 15-year prison sentence for starving her 18-month-old son to death.

The Busan District Court on Wednesday sentenced the woman to 15 years in prison for violating the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment of Child Abuse Crimes, specifically child abuse resulting in death. The court also ordered 40 hours in a child abuse prevention program and banned her from working at any child-related institution for 10 years.

Prosecutors had sought a 20-year sentence during a hearing held earlier this month on April 7.

“The court acknowledges that the defendant was living under difficult circumstances,” the judge said, “but the crime involved the killing of a child and warrants strict punishment.”

The woman was charged with habitually neglecting her 18-month-old son and failing to provide him with adequate food, leading to his death on Oct. 15 last year. On the day of his death, the child weighed just 4.98 kilograms (11 pounds), about 40 percent of the normal weight of a male child his age, which is 11.72 kilograms.

The child, born at a hospital in the greater Seoul area in 2023, had not been formally registered and only had a temporary newborn identification number assigned by the hospital.

According to reports, the mother frequently made disturbing comments to acquaintances about the child, saying things like, “Feeding him is a hassle,” “A demon came out of my womb,” “I can’t stand the sound of his crying,” and “I don’t know why he won’t just die.”

Three days before the child’s death, he reportedly suffered seizures and rolled his eyes back. The mother did not take him to a hospital, citing financial difficulties. Instead, she gave him food and water and put him to bed. On the day of his death, she left him alone at home and went out drinking with a friend.

Translated from the JoongAng Ilbo using generative AI and edited by Korea JoongAng Daily staff.
BY JANG GU-SEUL [[email protected]]