"My Child Isn't Coming to School": A Single Report Uncovers 'Skeletal Remains' Hidden for 6 Years

Why did we miss the golden hour to save the abused child?

On the June 20 broadcast of SBS's 'Unanswered Questions,' the show tracked the Siheung secret burial murder case.

On March 16, an elementary school in Siheung reported that a student was absent without leave. The student had attended school with their mother the day after the entrance ceremony to submit an experiential learning application. However, even after the experiential learning period ended, the student did not return to school, and the guardian could not be reached.

In response, the police set out to locate the elementary school child. However, during this process, they discovered that the biological mother had discarded her phone and fled. The biological mother had fled to a nearby motel with an unidentified man, as if being pursued.

Ultimately, when the police arrived, it was the biological mother's ex-boyfriend, Lim, who willingly opened the door. When questioned about the child's whereabouts, the biological mother claimed she did not know, leading to her emergency arrest on charges of child abuse. Lim was also taken into custody.

Under police interrogation, the biological mother claimed she had put the child up for adoption because she found it difficult to raise them. However, her accomplice, Lim, confessed. He revealed that the child was already dead and that he had buried the deceased child.

Following Lim's statement, the police headed to the hill where the body was allegedly abandoned and discovered the child's remains. The body was severely decomposed, reduced to skeletal remains that were barely recognizable. Surprisingly, however, the remains did not belong to the 9-year-old elementary school student who had attended school with the biological mother two weeks prior, but to a child aged between 2.3 to 2.5 years old.

Upon the discovery of the body, the biological mother claimed that six years ago, 28-month-old Ga-on had suffocated after getting wrapped in a blanket while playing alone. Her ex-boyfriend, Lim, claimed that he loved the child's biological mother, Kim, so much that he abandoned the body on her behalf.

However, an autopsy revealed healed rib fractures on Ga-on's body. An expert noted, "The possibility of long-term abuse, neglect, or abandonment cannot be ruled out."

The biological mother, Kim, concealed the child's death for six years. Although an elementary school enrollment notice was sent in December 2023, she used the school postponement system to cover up the child's death. In 2025, she was able to hide it again when the enrollment notice went missing for unknown reasons. Due to an administrative error by the managing authority, no enrollment notice was issued to Ga-on, who had turned 9.

But who was the 9-year-old Ga-on who appeared this year? The 9-year-old child who attended school with Kim was actually Lim's nephew. The two used Lim's nephew to once again cover up Ga-on's death. The school had no idea that the child was not Ga-on.

Kim, who had divorced after living with Ga-on's biological father, grew close to Lim, who was working at a convenience store she frequently visited. She reportedly told Lim that she wanted to live with him and marry him, but that the child was an obstacle.

Ultimately, the child died, and Kim threatened Lim that she would commit suicide if he did not help her abandon the body, leading Lim to take all the responsibility.

The two separated after living together for two years. Afterward, Kim found a new partner. However, upon receiving the school enrollment notice for Ga-on, Kim asked Lim to lend her his nephew for just one day. For Kim's sake, Lim pleaded with the reluctant child and participated in the impersonation scheme.

Lim claimed he committed the crime out of love for Kim. However, the biological mother, Kim, had actually reported Lim for stalking in 2024. Despite this, Lim helped Kim once again this year.

Following the investigation, Kim eventually admitted to killing the child impulsively. Although she maintained until the end that she loved the child, experts suggested that the child likely felt like an obstacle to her.

Observations of the child before their death seemed far from loving. She had not been active in raising the child.

Neighbors and teachers at the daycare center, which the child attended for about a year, did not recall Kim parenting. Instead, they remembered the child's biological father being heavily involved in childcare, drawing attention.

However, it came as a shock when the child's biological father revealed that he was completely unaware of any signs of abuse by Kim. The child was killed by their mother just about a month after the parents began living apart.

Regarding this, Kim said, "I think I felt a lot of resentment toward the child after my ex-husband left."

An expert pointed out, "The child was an obstacle in her life. It seems she wanted to undo the very act of giving birth. She likely thought that killing the child would return everything to normal. This is not a case where we should feel sympathy, thinking it must have been hard for a young person to have a baby." The expert added, "She is someone who knew there was an option to put the child up for adoption if her circumstances were difficult. Yet, she chose murder. It only seems that killing was easier."

Regarding Kim, who could do nothing on her own, the expert said, "It is Snow White Syndrome. She needed a prince on a white horse to solve whatever trouble she caused."

Regarding the accomplice, Lim, the expert added, "He had a vague expectation that if he tried harder, she would eventually come to him, and Kim took advantage of that."

Lastly, the broadcast pointed out institutional shortcomings regarding child abuse, stating, "Punishment is the very last resort. Current systems make it difficult to detect the abuse of infants and toddlers."

An expert said, "The state missed several signals it could have caught and ultimately failed. Due to what lack of safety nets or what loopholes are children dying for reasons we do not know? I believe it is crucial for the state to understand what risk indicators are deeply linked to child deaths."

Following the Siheung case, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced measures to prevent child abuse. In May, the government launched a comprehensive investigation into children aged 6 and under who have no hospital records.

Must we lose one child to save another? An expert drew attention by pointing out, "Why does our country focus only on punishment and post-incident response? I hope more weight is placed on helping children grow well and be raised properly before child abuse occurs."

(Edited by Kim Hyo-jung)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.