A mother in New Zealand, Hakyung Lee, has been found guilty of murdering her two children and concealing their bodies in suitcases, a case that has garnered significant attention nationally. The 44-year-old was convicted of murder by the Auckland High Court following a trial that lasted approximately two weeks. Lee had previously pleaded not guilty to the charges.
During the trial, Lee’s legal team argued that she was insane at the time of the killings, which occurred several months after the death of her husband from cancer. In contrast, prosecutors maintained that her actions were premeditated. The children’s remains were discovered in 2022 by a family who bought items from an abandoned storage unit in Auckland, suggesting that the bodies had been hidden there for several years.
Lee was apprehended in Ulsan, South Korea, in September 2022 and was subsequently extradited to New Zealand. Testimony during the trial indicated that the children’s bodies exhibited no signs of trauma, but a pathologist classified their deaths as homicides due to unspecified means, including the possible involvement of Nortriptyline, an antidepressant.
Evidence presented in court revealed that Lee had obtained a prescription for Nortriptyline in August 2017, shortly after her husband’s cancer diagnosis. The defense suggested that following her husband’s death, Lee’s mental health declined, and she believed it would be best for herself and her children to die together. They argued she administered the drug incorrectly, resulting in her children’s deaths while she survived.
The prosecution countered this perspective, arguing that Lee’s actions to hide the bodies and alter her identity demonstrated rational thought, characterizing the killings as a “selfish act.” Following three hours of jury deliberation, Lee displayed no reaction upon receiving the verdict. She is set to be sentenced in November, with a potential maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c2lxpvj19xdo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss