A couple in South Korea's Gyeonggi province was booked by the police for allegedly keeping their deceased infant in a plastic kimchi container for three years, reported the local media house, Korea Herald. The body was kept in a container measuring 35cm long, 24cm wide and 17cm tall, for three years after the 15-month-old daughter passed away.
The child’s mother initially denied that she had killed the baby and instead claimed that she had abandoned her on the streets. But as the investigation began to become stringent, the child's mother revealed that she along with her husband had hid the baby’s body.
The police came to know about the incident after the parents failed to register their child on any preschool roster and take her to doctors for checkups. The highly competitive admissions system in South Korea forces the parents to register their babies in schools as soon as possible to not miss out on a school seat.
After the incident came to light, the police tried contact the infant's mother but did not receive any response after which a complaint was filed by the police on October 27, reported the Korea Herald.
Three days later on October 30, the mother was also booked for violating the child welfare laws.
After initially denying any wrongdoing, the mother admitted to hiding the child’s body with her husband. According to the Korea Herald, the father, 29, was in prison when the child passed away. And after he was released he he moved the body to his parents’ home.
After initially denying any wrongdoing, the mother admitted to hiding the child’s body with her husband.
The father was arrested by police on 16 November, two days after officials found the baby in the container, said the Herald report.