SBS ‘Unanswered Questions’ capture.
After ‘Unanswered Questions’ focused on the ‘death of a four-month-old infant’ case, public calls for severe punishment of the parents have been mounting.
The SBS program ‘Unanswered Questions’ that aired on the 28th covered the death of a four-month-old infant, Haedeun (alias), that occurred in Yeosu, South Jeolla Province, last October.
At around 12:30 p.m. on October 22 last year, a report from the birth mother, Ms. Yang, saying “The baby fell into the bathtub and isn’t breathing,” was received by the Yeosu Fire Department.
The surgeon in charge stated, “The child arrived almost on the verge of death.” During the laparotomy, about 500 cc of blood poured out, and bruises of varying coloration across the body, intracranial hemorrhage, and more than 20 fractures were identified. The baby underwent two surgeries but died four days after admission. The autopsy determined the cause of death to be hemorrhagic shock and organ failure due to multiple trauma. At 69 cm, Haedeun died 133 days after birth.
The birth mother denied abuse, claiming it was “a drowning accident that happened while I briefly stepped away.” She asserted the bruises occurred during the rescue process, and some were from falls. The birth father, Mr. Seo, also submitted portions of home-cam footage to support his wife’s claims.
SBS ‘Unanswered Questions’ capture.
However, the home-camera recordings secured by prosecutors contained conflicting indications. In the video, the mother is seen leaving the room with the child and then rushing back in about an hour later, but the recorded audio repeatedly captured dull thuds and the child’s cries. Audio also confirmed her shouting, “Die, please, just die,” and “I’m going to kill you.”
It was also found that although she noticed the child’s breathing had become abnormal at 12:03 p.m., she did not call until 12:30 p.m., 27 minutes later. A beer can was found at the scene, and the mother was reportedly intoxicated at the time.
In approximately 4,800 additional clips from home cameras in other rooms obtained by investigators, indications of ongoing abuse were observed, including holding the baby upside down, stepping on the face with a foot, and covering the face with a pillow.
Prosecutors changed the charge against the mother from child abuse resulting in death to murder through child abuse. Ms. Yang maintains she had no intent to kill. The father, Mr. Seo, is in custody on suspicion of child abuse by neglect.
It also came to light that Mr. Seo visited a prostitution establishment while Haedeun was in critical condition, causing shock. In addition, he was found to have made threatening phone calls to an acquaintance who testified to the mother’s abuse to the police, an emergency responder, and the media outlet that reported the case, leading to an additional charge of retaliatory intimidation.
SBS ‘Unanswered Questions’ capture.
As the case became known, netizens expressed anger, reacting, “I cried because the home-cam footage was so shocking,” and “I ended up turning off the TV while watching.”
Online, a movement calling for harsh punishment of the parents continues. Along with posts urging, “Let’s send petitions for severe punishment in the Yeosu infant abuse death case,” trial schedules and petition templates have been shared, and comments pledging to participate have followed. Some netizens lamented, “After the Jeong-in case, we are once again writing petitions for harsh punishment in a child abuse case.”
Meanwhile, the perpetrators’ identities and past social media posts are spreading rapidly online. Even unblurred wedding photos are being shared, further stoking controversy. On the 2nd, one netizen said, “I found the birth parents’ blog,” adding, “It looks so ordinary that I’m surprised. Just from the posts, it’s hard to imagine they committed such a horrific crime.” That user later added in the comments, “The blog has already been deleted. The deletion is fast.”
Some netizens said they checked the blog before it was deleted and reported posts stating that the mother had been hospitalized for uterine contractions during her first delivery, and that her second delivery was also not smooth. They also said the mother left a post expressing feelings of depression after her first delivery. In addition, it became known that a week before Haedeun’s death, the mother posted in a moms’ online community recommending a collagen product, further inflaming criticism.
