Woman sentenced to 20 years for arson that killed girlfriend's daughter

Taipei, Nov. 6 (CNA) The Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a 20-year prison sentence for a Taoyuan woman who set a fire that killed her live-in girlfriend's 3-year-old daughter, finalizing the conviction.

According to court documents, the woman, surnamed Teng (鄧), lived with her girlfriend, surnamed Yu (游), Yu's parents, and Yu's young daughter in Taoyuan's Daxi District.

In January 2023, the couple quarreled after the girl's biological father visited their home, during which Teng threatened to burn Yu's family and daughter.

On the morning of Feb. 7, 2023, the couple argued again after Teng checked Yu's mobile phone. Teng, in a fit of rage, poured gasoline on Yu, her daughter, and throughout the room before igniting it with a lighter.

Yu managed to extinguish the flames in the bathroom and tried to rescue her daughter, but the fire spread too quickly. The child died at the scene from burns and smoke inhalation, while Yu suffered second- and third-degree burns over 90 percent of her body.

In June 2023, prosecutors charged Teng with homicide and making criminal threats.

In June 2024, a panel of citizen judges at the Taoyuan District Court found her guilty of intentionally killing a child and sentenced her to 20 years in prison, plus 59 days of detention for the threat, convertible to a fine.

Both the prosecution and Teng appealed, but the Taiwan High Court upheld the ruling in July this year, saying the lower court had correctly established the facts and applied the law.

The Supreme Court later dismissed Teng's final appeal, finalizing the 20-year sentence.