“You are a murderer”… the US version of the’Jung In-i case’ judge was also angry

“How do you starve a child for being a good mother. You killed a child. You are a murderer.”

18 November 2019 Circuit Court in Deschuts County, Oregon, USA. Judge Beth Begley turned to a couple sitting in the defendant’s seat.

The defendants, Garcia and the wife, stood in court on charges of neglecting abuse, such as failing to properly feed a five-year-old adopted child, and eventually leading to death. They were charged with murder by abuse and sentenced to life in prison based on the unanimous opinion of the jury.

However, the stepmother claimed that she loved her daughter and was a good mother throughout the trial, and the angered judge severely rebuked “you are the murderer” with the verdict.

While the first trial of the’Jung Ini Case’ is scheduled to be held on the 13th, the US version of the’Adopted Child Abuse Death Case’ is drawing attention again. In Oregon, USA, a couple who killed their adopted child after abuse were sentenced to life in prison side by side.

It was on December 21, 2016 that Malilla Garcia died. According to CBS News at the time, she fell to the floor in a malnourished state, and was already dead when she arrived at the hospital.

The child weighed only 24 pounds (11 kg) at the time of death. Even in Korean standards, it is much less than the average weight of a 5-year-old girl (16kg).

Before her death, Malya suffered from vomiting and fever. In particular, it is known that he has not eaten anything from 4 days before his death. A police report describing Maliya’s physical condition said, “The child’s limbs were bare bones due to malnutrition.”

The autopsy doctor also stated, “Even if the child is dry, the fat in the abdomen is usually 3~5mm, but Maliya has nothing left.”

In addition, local media reported that when the child’s life was struggling, the couple conspired to conceal the facts of child abuse.

According to local media in Oregon, the Garcias also sent and received text messages saying, “Let’s take Malilla with the other children to the hospital and show that we are raising the children in good health.”

However, it could not be concealed that Maliya had been abused and neglected. As of the date of Maliya’s death, the child had already been to the hospital for more than a year, and six months had passed since the child had been given care services (day care), local media reported. At the trial, Maliya’s autopsy said, “If Malilla had been diagnosed with a doctor a day before his death, he would have survived.”

The situation of starving the child was also revealed. An official from a daycare company who took care of Maliya said, “When Maliya was entrusted to us, he was so frightened that it was like’poison that fell below him.'”

Local media reported that her adoptive parents fed Malilla only crackers and apples for dinner. When Maliya opens her bedroom door in search of food in hunger, she has installed a device that automatically triggers an alarm.

Some testimony that Maliya was harsher than her own children.

Police investigations revealed that the couple forced Malilla to take a cold shower and threatened to pee in the bed and send him outside to tremble in the cold. It is said that when Maliya was three years old, she had her walls cleaned for more than an hour.

According to court documents, eyewitnesses testified that the Garcias had abused Maliya in unimaginable ways, and that Malillas prevented him from talking to other children. Prosecutor John Hummel said, “It’s not too much to suffer from hell in Maliya.”

Emily Groves, who cared for Malilla before adoption, changed her diaper and taught her to walk and talk. “Maliyah was a little light,” Groves recalls, “one of the sweetest kids I’ve ever looked after and he’s a really good listener.” Groves is one of the witnesses who testified that Maliya’s condition has changed significantly since his adoption.

Despite the situation, the Garcias consistently made excuses, saying the media made them look bad.

People around him who usually worry about Maliya showed a reaction that it wasn’t a big deal. One acquaintance of the adoptive parents said, “When I told you that Maliya looked too skinny in a Facebook message, the sentence’LOL (which means we laugh loudly)’ came back.” Said.

The Garcias asked the jury to apply the charges of second-degree negligence in lieu of murder and insisted that “we loved Maliya and did not starve on purpose.” However, the jury concluded with life imprisonment. Local journalist Central Oregon Daily said, “The jury made a unanimous decision after deliberation.”

Shortly after the verdict, Emily Groves said, “Thank you for everything the jury and prosecutors have done,” and “The results of the trial were correct.” The Associated Press reported that “a couple who have been sentenced to life in prison will be eligible for parole after 25 years.”

Reporter Seo Yujin, Researcher Jang Minsoon [email protected]