Mother Who Beat 4-Month-Old Son to Death Gets Sentence Reduced on Appeal, Prompting Outcry

The biological mother, who was sentenced to life in prison in her first trial for brutally assaulting, abusing, and killing her four-month-old son, Haedㅡn, has had her sentence reduced on appeal.

The Gwangju High Court overturned the lower court's life sentence against the mother in her 30s, identified as A, who was indicted on charges including child abuse resulting in death, and sentenced her to 35 years in prison.

The court explained the reason for the reduction by stating that "it cannot be seen that the crime was meticulously planned in advance."

A is accused of indiscriminately assaulting her four-month-old son at their home in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, at around 11:40 a.m. in October of last year, and leaving him unattended in a bathtub with the water running, causing his death.

Investigations revealed that the abuse was repeated 19 times starting from August of the same year.

Numerous bruises, internal organ bleeding, and 500 cc of bleeding inside the abdominal cavity were found on the body of the deceased child.

The husband, who stood trial alongside A on charges of turning a blind eye to the abuse, received the same sentence as in the first trial: four and a half years in prison.

The husband is also accused of threatening to file a complaint against a witness in this case.

Today, members of "Free Haeden," a civic group that has been urging strict punishment for the defendants, filled the courtroom gallery.

As the reduced sentence was handed down, sighs and sobbing erupted from the gallery.

Some spectators broke down in tears and collapsed into their seats, unable to leave the courtroom for a long time even after the sentencing concluded, weeping bitterly.

Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Choi Gang-san | Graphics by Lee Su-min | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.