South Korean parents face charges over 2-year-old’s death; toddler fed spicy sauce, soju

SEOUL – A two-year-old child, who died late in 2024 in what appears to be a case of parental abuse, was force-fed ultra-spicy buldak sauce and soju, a court hearing revealed on Feb 6.

Prosecutors made the accusations during the first hearing at the Daejeon District Court in the trial of the dead child’s parents, who face charges of child abuse resulting in death, repeated abuse and negligence. The father, in his 30s, has been arrested, while the mother, also in her 30s, has avoided physical detention.

The prosecutors alleged that the parents stopped using a feeding tube for the child, who was born prematurely and required it after being discharged from hospital, following a lengthy stay. Instead, they force-fed her baby food.

The child was also frequently kicked and beaten, which led to multiple bruises and a skull fracture, the prosecutors alleged.

On Dec 15, a day before the baby was found dead, the parents allegedly fed the child buldak sauce, known for its intense spiciness. They even force-fed the baby soju, a strong Korean alcoholic beverage, as a remedy, after noticing she was unwell.

The parents called emergency services the following day, reporting that their baby was not breathing. Medical staff found that the 25-month-old victim, who had died, weighed 6.9kg, indicating extreme malnutrition.

“The parents did not report the death immediately out of fear that their abusive actions would be exposed,” the prosecutors said. “They called for help only after realising they could not handle the situation themselves.”

The parents have three other children – who, in an emergency measure, were taken and placed in the care of their grandparents. The investigators found no signs of abuse in the remaining children. THE KOREA HERALD/ ASIA NEWS NETWORK