Police Arrest Cheonan Church Pastor Over Child's Death Following Multiple Abuse Reports Earlier This Month

An official at a church in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, has been arrested in connection with the death of a child who was found unresponsive at the church and later died.

The Chungnam Provincial Police Agency announced today (August 10) that it has arrested a church pastor in his 60s, identified by the surname A, on charges of child abuse resulting in death through neglect.

Pastor A is accused of taking in and looking after an 11-year-old boy, identified as B, over the past several years, during which time he allegedly abused or neglected the child.

Pastor A and other church affiliates called 119 at 8:49 p.m. on the 5th, stating that boy B was sick.

Boy B was transported to Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital by emergency responders, where he died approximately three hours after the emergency call.

At the time, boy B showed symptoms of high fever and exhaustion, and hospital staff discovered signs suggesting potential abuse on his body, prompting them to report suspected child abuse to the police.

Police are investigating the circumstances, believing that boy B was subjected to abuse based on visible wounds found on parts of his body.

Investigators have reportedly secured witness statements stating that "boy B was tied to a bed inside the church."

Police investigations revealed that a total of four suspected child abuse reports regarding boy B had been filed from 2021 until recently.

In particular, it was found that two reports of abuse were lodged earlier this month, around one week prior to boy B's death.

A police official told Yonhap News, "In 2021, there was a report from educational authorities suspecting educational neglect regarding boy B's schooling, and in 2024, there was a report suspecting abuse by his maternal grandmother, both of which were closed. The two reports filed earlier this month were made by citizens who spotted boy B outside and suspected abuse, notifying the police."

Upon launching an investigation following the citizens' reports, police reportedly discussed measures to transfer boy B to a protective facility in cooperation with relevant organizations including the Cheonan City Hall.

At the time, police booked church affiliates and separated boy B from his maternal grandmother by issuing a restraining order.

However, boy B was not immediately transferred to a protective facility, leading to the tragic death of the boy in less than a week.

The Chungnam Provincial Police Agency, which took over the case from the Cheonan Seobuk Police Station, is investigating the arrested pastor A, church affiliates, and guardians to determine the exact circumstances of the crime and whether additional offenses were committed.

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.