An influencer in Taiwan who touted herself as a "caring" mother of five has been accused of abusing and killing a 2-year-old boy under her care. According to the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the woman, identified by her surname Sung, allegedly killed a toddler after repeatedly abusing him for a week. She was previously a parenting expert with nearly 9,000 followers on Facebook. The woman had been posting loving photos of her and her five children, and sharing her experiences as a parent. So, the boy's father was convinced by her posts and sent his son under her care in February, paying her $930 a month.
However, in June, the little boy vomited and lost consciousness after being beaten during a bath. At the time, Sung rushed him to the hospital, where he was declared dead from serious injuries. Forensic examinations later revealed 15 old and new injuries on the boy, including seven caused by club and shoehorn. The 2-year-old had also suffered skull fractures and a brain haemorrhage, the outlet reported.
According to SCMP, Sung, who had been bringing up her children on her own, got a home care licence in 2022 but cancelled it in March. The boy's father then registered with the government for Sung to continue looking after his son.
Sung allegedly abused the boy for a week before his death because he refused to eat his meals by himself and was not tidy enough. A surveillance camera installed at her home recorded her crime. Authorities said that the woman constantly beat the boy on the head with a shoehorn, knocked him against a wall and threw him into the bathtub, which eventually caused his death.
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Sung has been charged with injuring and killing a child. She faces a minimum of 10 years in jail and a maximum of life imprisonment. Kaohsiung Social Affairs Bureau said they had sent her five children to their relatives and would carry out home visits regularly.
Meanwhile, on social media, users discovered that in 2016, Sung posted that she felt "painful about news of child abuse" and denounced parents abusing their own children. "What were you thinking, abusing other people's child in front of your five kids? How could you abuse a kid while writing all those parenting posts?" said one post on her Facebook page.
