Cheonan church pastor and grandmother face trial for child abuse death

The first trial has commenced for a pastor and a grandmother accused of the child abuse death of an 11-year-old boy at a church in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. Prosecutors allege the pair restrained the child to a bed with chains for approximately 38 hours, leaving him to suffer from high fever and exhaustion without medical care.

During the proceedings at the Daejeon District Court Cheonan Branch, the grandmother admitted to most of the charges. The pastor admitted to the acts of abuse but maintained a reserved position regarding whether he could have foreseen the child's death or if the abuse was the direct cause of death, stating he would wait for the autopsy results.

Details of the abuse include the pastor applying medicated liquid to the child's eyes and stuffing tissue into his mouth after the boy reportedly asked police to send him to an orphanage. Prosecutors also identified the pastor's stepson as a potential accomplice in the restraint, and police are continuing to investigate other residents of the church for potential involvement.