| The Korea Herald/Asia News Network
A 2-year-old child, who died late last year in what appears to be a case of parental abuse, was force-fed ultra-spicy “buldak” sauce and soju, a court hearing revealed Thursday.
Prosecutors made the accusations during the first hearing at the Daejeon District Court in the trial of the deceased 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 30s, has avoided physical detention.
Prosecutors alleged that the parents stopped using a feeding tube for the child, who was born prematurely and required it after being discharged from a lengthy hospitalization. Instead, they force-fed her baby food.
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The child was also frequently kicked and beaten, the prosecutors alleged, which led to multiple bruises and a skull fracture.
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.
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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 6.9 kilograms, 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 only called for help after realizing they could not handle the situation themselves.”
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The parents have three other children. In an emergency measure, they were taken and placed in the care of their grandparents. The investigators have found no signs of abuse in the remaining children.