Supreme Court upholds man's 5 1/2-year sentence for abusing 4-year-old

Taipei, Sept. 14 (CNA) The Supreme Court has upheld a five-year-and-six-month prison sentence for a man convicted of severely physically abusing his live-in girlfriend's 4-year-old son, leaving the child with permanent brain damage and disabilities.

The ruling upheld a Taiwan High Court verdict finding the man, surnamed Wang (王), guilty of intentionally causing serious bodily harm to a child.

According to the High Court, Wang was living with his girlfriend and her son in Taoyuan when the abuse took place on March 5, 2024.

Wang became angry because he believed the boy was refusing to follow instructions and forced him to stand as punishment.

When the child collapsed after standing for an extended period, Wang lifted him up, repeatedly struck him on the buttocks and continued to force him to stand, court documents said.

He later slapped the boy, causing him to fall, struck him on the head with a slipper and kicked him in the chest. The child then hit the back of his head on the floor and lost consciousness.

The boy was diagnosed with a right-sided subdural hematoma accompanied by cerebral edema, bilateral retinal hemorrhages, a fractured left tibia and extensive bruising, according to court documents.

Medical experts told the High Court that such injuries were highly unlikely to have resulted from an accidental fall at home, saying the retinal hemorrhages strongly suggested abusive head trauma caused by violent impact or shaking.

Despite prolonged treatment, the boy was left with brain atrophy, cerebral softening and enlarged ventricles, as well as impaired function of his left arm, spasticity in both legs, and delays in speech and cognitive development.

The damaged brain tissue cannot be restored with current medical technology, and the chances of significant recovery are extremely low, the hospital told the court.

After reviewing medical evidence and videos showing the child's daily activities, the High Court concluded that his injuries had caused severe and permanent impairment of his cognitive and motor functions, leaving him permanently disabled.

Wang was initially sentenced to two years in prison by the Taoyuan District Court for intentionally injuring a child. The High Court later increased the sentence to five years and six months after finding that the child had suffered serious and lasting impairments and that Wang's abuse had caused the injuries.

The Supreme Court recently rejected Wang's appeal, making the sentence final.