Unanswered Questions Re-examines Death of 44-Month-Old Child

The SBS current affairs program Unanswered Questions will cover the death of 44-month-old girl Sua (pseudonym) in its 1502nd episode, broadcasting on the night of the 29th. This episode, titled 'The Possessed Sisters and the Eldest Daughter's Confession - The Secret of the 44-Month-Old Stepdaughter's Death Case,' re-investigates the truth of a case that was closed after an internal investigation concluded based on the possibility of self-harm.

The incident occurred on the night of June 28, 2019. Sua, who was 3 years old, was transported to an emergency room at a hospital in Seoul after losing consciousness. About four hours earlier, symptoms suspected to be febrile seizures appeared, and a report was made to 119, but because her condition appeared to have improved, she was not moved to a hospital immediately. After a subsequent report was received stating that the child did not seem to be breathing, Sua passed away. Traumatic brain hemorrhage was confirmed in Sua, and the cause of death was presumed to be injury to the head; dozens of bruises and wounds, appearing to be caused by external impact, were found all over her body, raising the possibility of abuse.

However, the police closed the internal investigation, stating they could not find evidence to support abuse or maltreatment. This was based on the judgment that there were family testimonies and circumstances suggesting that Sua repeatedly engaged in self-harm. One relative reported hearing that on the day of the incident, Sua had thrown a severe tantrum and engaged in self-harm by rolling around when she was prevented from doing something. During her lifetime, Sua had been diagnosed with a Grade 3 intellectual disability and lived at her great-aunt's house because she showed aggressive behavior toward her father and older sister; according to the family, while her stepmother Ms. Park (pseudonym) visited and cared for her, Sua repeatedly engaged in self-harm, such as hitting her own head.

After Sua died, unusual behavior also appeared in her older sister Soobin (pseudonym), who was 5 years old at the time. She showed similar aggression to her younger sister, such as swearing at her parents or picking up a knife, and the family claims the sisters exhibited similar behaviors as if they were possessed by ghosts. Soobin's symptoms have since disappeared. Her biological father Mr. Lee (pseudonym) expressed doubt as to why Soobin repeated the same behavior after Sua left, claiming that at the time, Soobin told him, 'Step-mom made me do it.'

More than six years after her younger sister passed away, Soobin revealed more specific memories. She claimed that at the time, the stepmother whispered instructions to her to engage in unusual behavior and said something to Sua in the same manner. On the other hand, Ms. Park's side refuted the claims of abusing the sisters, stating they are untrue and that Soobin's story is a lie. Based on the conflicting testimonies of the family and the circumstances of Sua's death, the production team plans to track what actually happened that day.

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