A man in his 50s was sentenced to prison for neglecting his wife, who suffered from hearing and intellectual disabilities, by confining her to a small room in their home without proper care, leading to her death.

On November 8, Daegu District Court's 12th Criminal Division, presided by Judge Eo Jae Won, sentenced the 59-year-old defendant, identified as 'A,' to two years in prison on charges of confinement and abandonment resulting in death. The man’s trial was conducted as a public jury trial on October 29, with the verdict announced separately on this day.

According to investigative authorities, between November 2022 and January 2023, 'A' is accused of confining his wife, B (Age 54), who was disabled and in poor health, in a small room at their residence in Seo District, Daegu, neglecting to provide regular meals and leaving her in such a state of neglect that she eventually died of starvation.

The investigation revealed that 'A had ongoing dissatisfaction with his wife, with whom he struggled to communicate due to her disabilities, and as a result, confined her in the small room. He blocked the door to the room with a wardrobe so B could not enter the living room and nailed the window frame shut, preventing it from being opened. Additionally, 'A' locked the small external door next to the small room to ensure that B could not encounter neighbors if she managed to get out.

In early January of last year, B attempted to exit through the back door of the small room, which served as her only escape route, and collapsed in the yard while calling out for 'A.' Instead of seeking medical help, 'A' moved her back into the unheated room, leaving her without treatment. The next day, B passed away from complications due to severe malnutrition. At the time of her death, she weighed only 20.5 kg (about 45 lbs) and was 145 cm (4’9”) tall.

Following the incident, police investigated and referred 'A' to the prosecution, which brought him to trial in March on charges including confinement. During the public jury trial last month, the prosecution sought a six-year sentence, arguing that the victim died after being confined in extreme suffering from starvation.

The jury’s verdict on 'A’s charges varied. All seven jurors unanimously found 'A' guilty of confinement. However, on the charge of abandonment, five jurors found him guilty while two found him not guilty. Regarding the charge of abandonment resulting in death, five found him not guilty, while two found him guilty.

In determining the sentence, the court stated, “The defendant confined the victim, preventing her from leaving the residence and failed to provide sufficient meals, resulting in inadequate nutrition.” The court also noted that while the defendant himself suffers from a borderline intellectual disability, he showed no remorse, and the victim’s younger brother demanded a strict punishment.

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