A man in his 40s has received a six-month prison term for neglecting the body of his deceased father for at least two weeks, claiming that he did not know of the death despite them sharing the same home.
The Busan District Court said Sunday it has found the defendant guilty of violating Article 161 of the Criminal Act, which stipulates up to seven years for damaging, destroying, abandoning, concealing or taking possession of the remains of the dead.
Forensic evidence suggests that the deceased had passed away sometime between Nov. 30 and Dec. 20 of last year, but the defendant took no measures to take care of the body until they came to check on Jan. 3. Police officials visited the home in Busan on Jan. 3, after neighbors reported a bad smell.
The defendant told the court that he only learned of his father's death when the police arrived at the door, despite sharing the home for over 30 years since March of 1994.
The court dismissed the claims on grounds that the defendant must have known of the death, due to the stench from the decaying corpse. It pointed out that the defendant told investigators that he entered the master bedroom -- where the father had lived -- on Dec. 30, which was well after the time he is believed to have passed way.
It also said one of the defendant's neighbors had visited the home on Jan. 2, and later told investigators that there was a terrible smell coming from inside the home. The neighbor was told by the defendant to visit some other time.
minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com
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