In brief
In a highly publicized trial, Hakyung Lee was convicted of murdering her children and hiding their bodies in suitcases. Prosecutors argued that her actions showed calculated intent, while her defense claimed she was insane due to her mental health deterioration after her husband's death. Lee's sentencing is slated for November, with a potential life sentence.
A mother in New Zealand has been found guilty of killing her two children and hiding their bodies in suitcases, in a high-profile case that shocked the country.
Hakyung Lee, 44, was convicted of murder at the Auckland High Court on Tuesday, after a trial that lasted about two weeks. She had pleaded not guilty.
Lee's lawyers argued that she was insane at the time of the killing, which happened months after her husband died of cancer. However, prosecutors contended that her actions were calculated.
The remains of her children were discovered in 2022 by a family who had purchased the contents of an abandoned storage unit at an auction in Auckland.
The bodies were believed to have been stored there for several years. Lee was arrested in Ulsan, South Korea, in September 2022 and extradited to New Zealand later that year.
During the trial, the court heard that the children's bodies had no sign of trauma, though it was clear they had been killed by someone. A pathologist indicated they had died by homicide by unspecified means, including the use of Nortriptyline, an antidepressant.
The court was informed that Lee had picked up her prescription for the drug from a pharmacy in August 2017 – five months after her husband, Ian Jo, was diagnosed with cancer.
The defense claimed Lee's mental health deteriorated after her husband's death, leading her to believe it was best for all to die together. She allegedly attempted to kill herself and her children with the antidepressant but got the dosage wrong, waking up to find her children dead.
Despite the defense's assertion that Lee was not guilty due to insanity, the prosecution argued she had shown rational thought by concealing the children's remains and changing her identity.
The prosecution framed the killings as a selfish act to escape the burdens of single parenting.
On Tuesday, Lee was visibly subdued, offering no reaction as the jury returned its verdict after approximately three hours of deliberation. She is set for sentencing in November and could face a life sentence.
