Review Sought in Death of 44-Month-Old Girl From 7 Years Ago

A review of the police investigation into the death of a 44-month-old girl in Seongbuk District, Seoul, seven years ago has been requested. Mr. B, the biological father of the victim, filed a request for an 'investigation review' — a procedure in which police examine whether the investigation conducted so far was lawful and decide whether to reinvestigate — with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency on the 7th.

A died on June 28, 2019, from a head injury, and her body was covered in bruises and wounds. Mr. B argued that it was inappropriate for police to handle the case as an unattended death without opening a formal criminal case, even though emergency room medical staff had suspected child abuse. The Seongbuk Police Station closed the case in April with a ruling of 'no suspicion,' concluding there was no evidence of a crime during the pre-indictment investigation stage. Mr. B has asked for a review of whether this disposition was appropriate.

Circumstantial evidence suggesting that A's stepmother, while disciplining her, force-fed her hot sauce and other spicy condiments was raised through statements made by A's older sister to the Sunflower Center, a child protection agency. Capsaicin was detected in A's blood according to an autopsy conducted by the National Forensic Service. In its autopsy report, the NFS stated that while this could not be linked to the cause of death, it was presumed that A had ingested a substantial amount of capsaicin, and raised questions about whether she had consumed it on her own.

The NFS concluded that the head injury was the primary factor in A's death, compounded by her pre-existing severe dehydration and overall deterioration of her physical condition. It added that while no evidence indicating third-party involvement was found, some circumstances could not be attributed to self-inflicted causes, meaning the possibility of abuse by another person could not be entirely ruled out. Photographs attached to the forensic report show bruises and subcutaneous hemorrhages across A's entire body, including her head, torso, both arms, and both legs.

An investigation review is a procedure available to complainants, accusers, and other parties to a case who believe the investigation process or outcome was unfair or unlawful. If the request is deemed proper, an investigation review committee composed of external experts, including lawyers and legal scholars, is convened. Following the review, the committee can direct measures such as 'supplementary or reinvestigation,' 'expedited handling,' or the 'transfer or reassignment of the case to another unit or agency.'

Mr. B, who was frequently away on business trips and thus had difficulty directly witnessing signs of abuse, has requested an investigation into the circumstances of the hot sauce ingestion, as well as the causes of the head injury and full-body trauma, based on the NFS forensic report.