Church members charged with child abuse in death of 17-year-old

(123rf)

The South Korean police on Monday said it has recommended two members of a church choir to be indicted for their alleged part in last month's death of a 17-year-old girl.

The two suspects, the 52-year-old leader of the choir in an Incheon church and a 41-year-old member, are being accused of child abuse resulting in death, stipulated in the Article 4 of the Act on Special Cases Concerning the Punishment, Etc. of Child Abuse Crimes. The crime is punishable by at least five years in prison, up to a life sentence.

The prosecution is already investigating another alleged abuser, a 55-year-old church member, in relation to the same charges. Police filed for charges against the two suspects after finding evidence that they had also abused the victim.

The three suspects are believed to have physically abused the girl between March and May 15. An investigation found that the victim's mother entrusted her to the 55-year-old suspect, the mother's acquaintance, and the girl had been living at the church for nearly three months leading up to her death.

The victim fell unconscious around 8 p.m. of May 15 and was carried to a nearby hospital, but died four hours later. Police officers who arrived on the scene found the victim on the floor of a room inside the church, with both her hands bound and bruises all over her body.

The three suspects reportedly deny the charges, and said they bound the victim to prevent her from injuring herself. The church officials also claimed that the victim had been mentally ill, although they did not provide related medical documents.

By Yoon Min-sik(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)