Husband arrested after wife found with fatal bedsores in South Korea

Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox

Emergency responders found the woman suffering from severe bedsores on her lower body and maggots across her body.

Emergency responders found the woman suffering from severe bedsores on her lower body and maggots across her body.

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION: PEXELS

Follow topic:

SEOUL – A woman in her 30s died in South Korea after being found at home with bed sores so severe that they had been infested with maggots, news reports said on Nov 23.

Her husband has been arrested on suspicion of neglect resulting in death.

Police said the husband called 119, the emergency hotline, at about 8.18am (7.18am Singapore time) on Nov 17, reporting that his wife was “semiconscious”.

When emergency responders arrived at the couple’s home in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, they found the woman suffering from severe bedsores on her lower body and maggots across her body.

She briefly went into cardiac arrest while being transported to a hospital. Although medical staff were able to resuscitate her, she died the following day.

Hospital staff alerted police and the husband was arrested later that day.

Investigators said the woman had suffered from panic disorder and depression since August and had difficulty moving, though it was not clear if this was based on medical records or the suspect’s account.

Despite her worsening condition and the development of bedsores, the husband did not take her to a hospital, investigators said.

The woman’s family told police the husband had prevented them from visiting, claiming she said she would die her family came to the house.

During questioning, the husband reportedly told police he had not noticed the foul smell because his wife used deodorant and incense heavily, which he said gave him headaches. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK

See more on