Tragic Death

[Anchor Lead]

A child died at a childcare center in western Seoul on Wednesday. Prosecutors have requested an arrest warrant for the caretaker teacher. This follows circumstantial evidence showing the caretaker had pressed the infant's body while putting him to sleep. The doctor who conducted an autopsy also said the death was likely caused by suffocation.

[Pkg]

This is a childcare center in western Seoul where an eleven-month-old infant was found dead. Parents who sent their children to the center before hearing the news rushed to pick them up early in the morning.

[Soundbite] (Parent (Voice Modified)) : "(The childcare workers were great.) Are you surprised? (Of course.) Did you come back for your child after hearing the news? (Yes.)"

Police have obtained and analyzed security camera footage. It shows a 59-year-old childcare worker pulling a blanket over an infant lying face down and pressing the baby with her body. A doctor at the National Forensic Service who performed an autopsy of the dead child said there were no signs of external injury that could have caused death. However, the doctor told the police that the baby was likely suffocated due to the blocked nose and mouth. The childcare worker testified that she was just trying to put the baby to sleep. Prosecutors have requested an arrest warrant, believing that she abused the infant. Police are looking into whether other staff members of the childcare center condoned the abuse and whether there were any problems in the supervision of childcare workers.

[Soundbite] Police Official (Voice Modified) : "Some said there was no sound while others didn't see what was going on because they were at the other end of the room watching other children."

Police are also cooperating with child protection agencies to investigate if there were more abusive practices at the center.