A court has handed down a suspended sentence to a couple in their 30s who attempted to kill their elementary school-aged daughter twice.

The Daejeon District Court sentenced the couple, identified as A and B, to three years in prison, suspended for five years, on charges including attempted child abuse murder.

The court also ordered the couple to complete 40 hours of child abuse prevention programs and placed them under probation.

The couple was indicted for attempting to kill their daughter, C, on two occasions in January, citing financial difficulties and depression as reasons.

Investigations revealed that the couple had planned to take their own lives after killing their daughter.

They were also charged with child neglect for failing to take C to the hospital even after she regained consciousness and showed abnormal symptoms, such as slurred speech.

The crime was uncovered after the child's grandmother, who noticed C's unusual condition, reported the situation to emergency services.

The prosecution had requested a 12-year prison sentence, arguing that there was a high risk of re-abuse or secondary victimization if the couple returned to the child, given that the underlying causes of the crime, such as financial hardship and mental illness, remained unresolved.

The court acknowledged that the victim suffered injuries including brain damage and noted that the defendants' post-crime behavior, such as attempting to destroy evidence and providing false statements, was unfavorable.

However, the court took into account that the crime was driven by despair over financial difficulties and that the grandparents, who are currently raising the child, had petitioned for leniency due to the practical limitations of their advanced age.

Furthermore, the court explained its sentencing decision by stating, "The victim is experiencing significant emotional distress after being separated from the defendants and misses her parents. It appears that the defendants' presence is necessary for her rehabilitation and emotional stability."

Reported by Jung Da-eun | Video by Jang Yu-jin | Graphics by Yook Do-hyun | Produced by SBS Digital News