Newborn Abandoned in Trash Can: Prosecutors File Birth Registration and Seek Termination of Parental Rights

Collaboration with Seoul National University Hospital and Related Organizations
Admitted to a Care Facility After Three Months of Treatment

In order to protect a newborn who was abandoned in a trash can immediately after being born in a shopping mall restroom, the prosecution directly filed a birth registration and requested the termination of parental rights for the biological mother. This is an example of collaboration with related agencies to safeguard the life and rights of the child victim, going beyond investigation and prosecution.

On the 9th, as the Special Investigation Headquarters for the Proclamation of Martial Law summoned former Special Warfare Commander Kwak Joonggeun for questioning, the Taegukgi and prosecution flags fluttered in the wind in front of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office building. Photo by Huh Younghan

The Women and Children Crime Investigation Division 2 of the Seoul Central District Prosecutors' Office, headed by Chief Prosecutor Park Jina, announced on July 8 that it had worked with related organizations, including Seoul National University Hospital, to implement measures such as suspension of parental authority, birth registration, and a petition for parental rights termination to protect the newborn victim of attempted child abuse and murder.

The biological mother, Ms. A, in her twenties, is accused of giving birth to the child in a restroom stall at her workplace shopping mall on April 3, then abandoning the baby in a trash can and attempting to kill the child by covering it with tissue. The baby was discovered by one of Ms. A’s coworkers and transported to the hospital. On May 14, the prosecution indicted Ms. A on charges of attempted murder by child abuse and filed for her detention.

The newborn was in cardiac arrest at the time of discovery and was urgently transferred to Seoul National University Hospital. After emergency treatment, including CPR by the medical staff, the baby recovered and received intensive care in the neonatal intensive care unit. Following approximately three months of treatment, the child was discharged on July 1 and has since been admitted to a residential facility for infants and young children with disabilities. It has been reported that the child was diagnosed with a permanent brain disability, including severe hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

During the treatment process, the prosecution confirmed that the mother's consent was required as the legal guardian of the child. On April 29, the prosecution independently filed an emergency request with the Seoul Family Court to suspend her parental authority. The court approved the request the following day. As a result, Seoul National University Hospital was able to promptly perform a tracheostomy on the child with the consent of a temporary guardian.

Additionally, the prosecution held a meeting on child abuse case management with the hospital’s Child Protection Committee, the local district office, the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency, the Victim Support Center, and the state-appointed counsel for the child victim to discuss long-term protection measures. During the meeting, it was discovered that the child had not been registered at birth, so a prosecutor personally filed the birth registration at the district office. This enabled the child to access a range of welfare services, including medical care, financial transactions, IT and communication services, and child allowances.

Subsequently, on July 2, the prosecution petitioned for termination of Ms. A’s parental rights and requested that the head of the facility where the child is now residing be appointed as the minor’s guardian. As a precaution in case the court does not approve the termination of parental rights, the prosecution also requested a restriction of parental authority.

The prosecution stated, "We will do our utmost to maintain the indictment so that a sentence commensurate with the crime can be imposed in this child abuse case currently under trial," adding, "From the perspective of the child’s best interests, we will continue to cooperate with related organizations to devote our best efforts to public interest activities for the protection of the child victim."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.