A woman, Hakyung Lee, has been found guilty of murdering her two young children, eight-year-old Yuna Jo and six-year-old Minu Jo. Lee was convicted in the High Court for giving a fatal dose of prescription medication to her children in June 2018, placing their bodies in suitcases, and storing them in Auckland. She then fled to South Korea, changed her identity, and cut off all ties.
The bodies remained undiscovered until August 2022 when the storage fees went unpaid, leading to an auction where the new owners found the remains. A forensic pathologist mentioned the challenge in determining the exact cause of death due to the delay in discovery.
Lee’s defense argued that she was mentally ill, citing the trauma from her husband’s death in 2017. However, the prosecution countered, claiming Lee’s actions were calculated and not delusional. Prosecutor Natalie Walker highlighted Lee’s strategic moves to start a new life without her children.
Following a two-week trial, Lee was found guilty of both murders. She awaits sentencing in November, with the mandatory life sentence for murder in New Zealand. Despite the distressing nature of the trial, Lee was allowed to participate via videolink with an interpreter.