The prosecution on Friday asked for 15 years for the pastor who killed his teenage daughter and hoarded her mummified body for nearly 11 months. The prosecution is also seeking a 12-year sentence for his wife, who is not the mother of the victim and a joint-principal offender.

In the final trial held at the Bucheon Branch of Incheon District Court, the prosecution said, “The defendants failed to carry out their due responsibility as parents to look after their child.”

“They severely abused the victim and beat her to death, even as they had no proof that she stole from the church offerings as they claim.”

The two were demanded prison terms according to the level of abuse they had inflicted on the victim.

They had both been indicted in February for brutally beating their then-13-year-old daughter to death.

According to the prosecution, the abuse had gone on for seven hours from around 5:30 a.m. to half-past-noon on March 17, 2015. Investigation revealed the girl had been hit up to 70 beatings on palms, calves and thighs, respectively, with a wooden stick that broke during the violent strikes. The National Forensic Service said the autopsy revealed the victim died from hypovolemic shock.

Her mummified body had been found by the police during a search through the house on Feb. 3, in a small room covered with a blanket. 

The pastor and his wife had testified that they believed the daughter would resurrect if they continued to pray.

The pastor, 47, had studied in Germany and worked as an adjunct professor at a theology university.

The sentencing session for this case will take place on May 20.

By Lim Jeong-yeo (kaylalim@heraldcorp.com)