Boy Who Visited Police Before Death Had Abuse Reports Dating Back 5 Years

[Anchor]

An 11-year-old boy staying at a church in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, was found unconscious and ultimately died. There had been multiple reports suspecting abuse even before his death, and just three days before he passed away, the boy even visited a police station himself to ask for help. However, no proper protective measures were taken until the very end.

TJB reporter Kim Jihun has the details.

[Reporter]

Early in the morning, a boy wearing a white sleeveless shirt runs along the path.

He looks back from time to time.

This footage was captured a week before the incident involving 11-year-old A, who died after showing symptoms of a high fever and a reduced level of consciousness at a church in Cheonan on August 6.

At the time, A was found by firefighters and police who had been dispatched following a report that a child was missing, and was handed back over to the church.

[Fire official: The child, who has an intellectual disability, left home around 6 o'clock, and we were dispatched because we were told, 'He is not coming back.']

A was reportedly left at the church by his birth mother right after birth and had been living there ever since, and was diagnosed with an intellectual disability last year.

In particular, while he was living at the church, reports suspecting child abuse had already been filed multiple times starting five years ago.

TJB reporting revealed that three reports suspecting abuse by his maternal grandmother were filed before A's death, prompting the police to launch an investigation.

There were two reports just earlier this month, which were filed by citizens who suspected abuse after spotting A outside the church.

Notably, just three days before his death, A reportedly visited a police station himself to appeal about the harm he was suffering.

Police and city hall officials discussed measures to lead A to a protective facility, but separation measures were ultimately not implemented.

Police arrested a pastor in his 60s, surnamed B, on concerns of destroying evidence, and also requested an arrest warrant for the maternal grandmother.

The maternal grandmother had reportedly been living with A at the church from several months prior to the incident and acting virtually as his guardian.

The substantive review of the arrest warrant for the maternal grandmother is scheduled to be held tomorrow morning, August 11, at the Cheonan Branch of the Daejeon District Court.

(Photo: TJB Song Chang-gun)

TJB Kim Jihun
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.