Seoul father requests investigation review into 2019 child death

The father of a 44-month-old girl who died in Seoul in 2019 has filed for an investigation review with the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency. He is challenging the decision by the Seongbuk Police Station to close the case without formal charges, citing potential child abuse.

Medical staff at the time had noted bruises and injuries across the child's body, raising suspicions of abuse. Furthermore, a National Forensic Service autopsy revealed that capsaicin was present in the child's blood. While the autopsy concluded that head trauma and dehydration were the primary causes of death, it noted that the presence of capsaicin suggested the child may have ingested a significant amount of spicy sauce, an act unlikely to have been self-inflicted.

The father argues that the police should have conducted a formal investigation into how the child ingested the capsaicin and the origins of the head trauma and bodily injuries. He clarified that the request for a review is not to immediately assign criminal liability, but to determine if the initial decision to close the case was appropriate and if further investigation is required.