Social worker indicted for negligent homicide of 1-year-old infant (update)

Taipei, Aug. 27 (CNA) A social worker has been indicted on Tuesday on charges of negligent homicide and document forgery for her involvement in the death of a one-year-old infant in December 2023.

The suspect, identified only by her surname Chen (陳), has been released on NT$300,000 (US$9,413) bail. She has denied the charges against her, prosecutors said.

Chen worked at the Child Welfare League Foundation, which entrusted two sisters, both surnamed (劉), to care for the infant boy in August 2023.

The two sisters were indicted in April this year on charges of child abuse resulting in death, intentional deprivation of liberty resulting in death and intentional injury resulting in death for their mistreatment of the boy between Sept. 1 and Dec. 23, 2023.

The infant became unconscious in the early hours of Dec. 24, 2023, after sustaining serious injuries, and was pronounced dead after being taken to the hospital.

According to the Taipei District Prosecutors Office, Chen fabricated reports of her visiting the boy while he was being cared for by the Liu sisters and tampered with records after the boy's death on three occasions between Dec. 31, 2023, and April 18, 2024.

They alleged that Chen violated the Child and Youth Welfare and Rights Protection Act and procedures for reporting, investigating and handling child protection cases. Social workers are required to report improper care within 24 hours.

Chen also failed to adhere to Child Welfare League Foundation and Ministry of Health and Welfare guidelines that stipulate social workers must visit minors under six years old under their supervision at least two times each month for the first six months without informing the entrusted caregiver in advance.

According to prosecutors, Chen ignored signs of abuse, including bruises and hair loss during visits on Sept. 25 and Oct. 23, and failed to investigate, increase her visits, or report the situation, instead accepting the false explanations given by the Liu sisters.

On one occasion, Chen sent photos of the infant to the boy's grandmother but downplayed the boy's visible injuries, weight loss and emotional distress, instead repeating the Liu sisters' excuses that the bruises were due to an accident and that weather changes caused a loss of appetite, prosecutors alleged.

After learning that the boy lost three teeth overnight on Nov. 19, Chen visited the infant for the third time the next day and noticed severe changes in his condition, prosecutors said. Nonetheless, she failed again to report the boy's condition.

Chen also made misleading statements, prosecutors said.

On Dec. 24 -- the day the boy died as a result of the mistreatment -- Chen lied to hospital staff, saying that the infant's main caregiver was the boy's grandmother and suggesting that his death may have been due to choking.

Prosecutors have urged the courts to mete out a severe punishment for Chen, whom they described as demonstrating a lack of remorse over the infant's death.

Four relatives of the Liu sisters are currently under investigation for suspected perjury and destruction of evidence, prosecutors said.