Kaohsiung child abuser who paralyzed infant son loses appeal

Taipei, Jan. 25 (CNA) A Kaohsiung man who beat and partially paralyzed his 12-month-old son has had his appeal against an eight-year-and-10-month prison sentence rejected by the Supreme Court.

The man, surnamed Wu (吳), had appealed the sentence on the grounds that his imprisonment would leave his son without parents.

The mother of Wu's son is also currently detained after being arrested on suspicion of murdering her 1-month child with another man.

According to court documents, Wu's son was admitted to hospital on Nov. 10, 2022 with brain and retinal hemorrhaging, as well as fractures and multiple bruises on his head.

The injuries had been caused by Wu, then 23, beating his son with a plastic stick, the court documents said.

This was part of a pattern of abuse stretching back to August 2022, which also included burning his son with cigarette butts, the court documents added.

Wu, who ran an online goods store in an apartment he rented in Sinsing District, worked at night and slept during the day, often complaining of sleep deprivation because his son would keep him awake, court documents said.

In its initial verdict, the Kaohsiung District Court determined that Wu had caused his son to suffer brain damage, paralysis of the left side of the body and developmental retardation.

The district court found Wu guilty of maltreating a minor under the age of 18 and handed him an enhanced sentence of eight years and 10 months in prison in accordance with the Protection of Children and Youths Welfare and Rights Act.

Wu appealed the case, asserting his "parental responsibility" and arguing that his son would be left without parents if he was imprisoned due to his wife's concurrent detention.

However, the Taiwan High Court determined Wu had long been a neglectful parent, noting his son's case had been tracked by Kaohsiung's Social Affairs Bureau since birth and that Wu never took his son to be vaccinated.

In addition, the court noted that the fee for his son's hospital treatment in November 2022 had been paid for by the Social Affairs Bureau, indicating that Wu was an unfit caregiver.

With Wu further appealing the case to the Supreme Court, the court decided on Jan. 18 that Wu's sentence was appropriate and rejected his appeal.

The Supreme Court's verdict is final.