27-11-2025

Crimes Involving Children and Parental Abuse

Date: 27-11-2025
Sources: cbsnews.com: 1 | news.sky.com: 1 | nypost.com: 1
Image for cluster 6
Image Source:

Source: nypost.com

Image content: The image depicts a family of five on a beach, with a pier visible in the background. The family consists of two adults and three children, with the father wearing a gray t-shirt and blue shorts. A young girl is seen in a yellow bikini standing next to her parents. The scene is set against a backdrop of a clear blue sky and a body of water, with several people visible on the beach and in the water. The main subject or scene shown is a family at the beach. The people visible are a man, a woman, and three children. The pier is a visible location. The image shows a family of five posing for a photo on a beach. The father is holding a child on his shoulders, while the mother carries a baby in a carrier. A young girl stands beside them, wearing a yellow bikini.

Summary

Two separate cases of parental abuse and child harm have made headlines, one involving a New Zealand woman sentenced to prison for murdering her two children, and another involving a Utah father charged with child torture for taking his children on a perilous hike.

Key Points

  • Hakyung Lee sentenced to at least 17 years in prison for murdering her two children
  • Lee stored the children's bodies in suitcases in a storage unit
  • Micah Smith charged with child torture for taking his children on a difficult hike
  • Smith's children were hospitalized, with one suffering a stroke due to hypothermia

Articles in this Cluster

Mother who murdered her 2 children and left them in suitcases sentenced to prison in New Zealand - CBS News

A woman in New Zealand, Hakyung Lee, has been sentenced to at least 17 years in prison for murdering her two children, Minu Jo and Yuna Jo, and leaving their bodies in suitcases. Lee was found guilty in September, with the judge ruling that she will begin her sentence in a locked psychiatric facility. The children's remains were discovered in 2022 after Lee stopped paying rental fees for a storage unit, and the locker's contents were auctioned online. Lee had fled to South Korea after the killings and was later extradited to face trial.
Entities: Hakyung Lee, Minu Jo, Yuna Jo, New Zealand, AucklandTone: neutralSentiment: negativeIntent: inform

New Zealand 'suitcase murders': Woman jailed for life for killing her two children | World News | Sky News

A South Korean-born New Zealand woman, Hakyung Lee, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering her two children in 2018. Lee, 45, had stored their bodies in suitcases in a storage unit, which were discovered three years later. Lee admitted to using anti-depressant medication to kill the children and was extradited to New Zealand from South Korea in 2022. The judge rejected calls for a lesser sentence due to Lee's mental health issues, but ordered compulsory treatment at a psychiatric facility. Lee must serve a minimum non-parole period of 17 years.
Entities: Hakyung Lee, New Zealand, South Korea, Auckland, YunaTone: neutralSentiment: negativeIntent: inform

Utah dad Micah Smith charged with child torture after taking children hiking, resulting in them missing and hospitalized | New York Post

A Utah father, Micah Smith, has been charged with child torture and aggravated child abuse after taking his three young children on a difficult hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon on October 11. The children, aged 2, 4, and 8, became lost and were hospitalized after being rescued. The 4-year-old son suffered a stroke and required surgery to remove part of his skull due to hypothermia. Smith had previously expressed suicidal intentions and had a history of concerning behavior. He is being held without bond and faces serious charges.
Entities: Micah Smith, Utah, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Salt Lake County, Primary Children’s HospitalTone: negativeSentiment: negativeIntent: inform