On July 9, 2021, in the Daedeok district of Daejeon, South Korea, the body of a 20 -month -old girl was discovered in an icebox in an apartment in a room. The discovery was made by the child’s grandmother, who immediately reported him to the police. The case quickly attracted attention to national level due to its tragic nature.
The primary suspicion, identified as Mr. WhichThe girl’s 29 -year -old stepfather was accused of fatal abuse and suspicious sexual attacks. Investigators established that the child had died on June 15, 2021 and an autopsy indicated signs of prolonged abuse and possible sexual violence.
Mr. Which He had a criminal story, including multiple imprisonments for fraud and theft. After his release from prison, he lived with his partner and daughter at the home of his partner’s mother. The authorities subsequently confirmed through the DNA test Mr. Which He was not the biological father of the victim.
The survey reports revealed a worrying model of domestic violence. Mr. Which It was discovered that he repeatedly attacked both his partner and the child. When the grandmother lost contact with her family, she tracked them down and made the heartbreaking discovery.
Mr. Which He was arrested three days later in a motel in Daejeon. During the interrogation, he initially denied the accusations but in the end he confessed after having failed a polygraphic test. He admitted that he had beaten the child for over an hour and recognized the possibility of sexual aggression, although he said he did not remember because of the consumption of alcohol.
In December 2021, public ministries sought the death penalty together with 15 years of chemical castration, citing multiple accusations including abuses on minors with consequent death, rape of a minor, concealment of an organ, fraud and theft.
The initial court sentenced him to 30 years in prison, citing mitigating factors such as his troubled education and remorse expressions. However, the accusation appealed, claiming that the sentence was too indulgent.
On May 27, 2022, Daejeon’s Alta Court canceled the initial sentence and imposed on life imprisonmentTogether with further measures: 200 hours of compulsory treatment for minors abuse, a ban on 10 years of institutions relating to disabilities and disabilities, 20 years of electronic monitoring and 10 years of public dissemination of his personal information.
The biological mother of the victim, identified as Mrs. Jeong, was sentenced to three years in prison for her role in the abuse and concealment of the body. It was released in 2024.
Mr. Which It remains imprisoned under life imprisonment, a case that continues to resonate deeply with the public and underlines the need for stronger protections for vulnerable children.
