She jumped from a fourth-floor balcony, barefoot, to escape a home she'd been trapped in for years. She landed in an empty apartment and kept going until she found help.
The Escape
On May 29, 2020, in Changnyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, South Korea, a 9-year-old girl escaped her family's fourth-floor apartment by climbing onto the balcony and jumping to a neighboring unit's balcony while her stepfather was out. The neighboring apartment was empty, so she left the building on her own, barefoot, and was found wandering a nearby road by a passerby who alerted police.
What Investigators Found
The girl had visible cuts, bruises, and blisters, and medical examination found she had several broken bones and symptoms of severe anemia. She told police that her mother, 27, and stepfather, 35, had subjected her to sustained abuse, including being restrained and denied adequate food. We are not detailing the specific methods described in the investigation. She said she had been returned to her mother's custody in 2017 after two years in foster care, and that the abuse had continued largely undetected because she hid her injuries under her clothing.
Arrests
Both the girl's mother and stepfather were arrested and charged in connection with the abuse. Her stepfather remained in custody as the investigation continued.
Impact
The case drew significant public attention in South Korea and renewed scrutiny of how the country's child welfare system handles children returned to homes after a period in foster care, given that she had been returned to the household three years before her escape.
FAQ
How did the girl escape?
She climbed from her family's fourth-floor apartment balcony to a neighboring unit's balcony while barefoot, then left the building and was found by a passerby.
Were her parents arrested?
Yes, both her mother and stepfather were arrested and charged in connection with the abuse.
Why wasn't the abuse detected earlier?
She told investigators she concealed her injuries under her clothing, and the case has prompted scrutiny of oversight for children returned home after foster care.