A nanny surnamed Liu has received the maximum sentence of life in prison for neglecting, abusing and failing to feed a one-year-old infant in her charge, resulting in his death in December 2023. The Taipei District Court also sentenced her younger sister and accomplice to 18 years. The sisters both worked as registered nannies appointed by the Child Welfare League Foundation, a prominent Taiwanese child protection organization. Before the verdict, the elder Liu confessed to losing patience with the child and said she was unable to cope with his care. She admitted to causing injury, neglect and failing to feed him, leading to malnutrition. Thousands of people gathered on the streets of Taiwan over the weekend to demand better protection for children in the country, including calls for the establishment of an integrated Child Protection Department and changes to the law to eliminate the chance of parole for anyone convicted of child abuse resulting in death. In 2024 alone, Taiwan recorded over 6,000 cases of abuse involving children under the age of 12. The health ministry has announced it’s working to enhance child protection efforts, although the details are still under discussion.
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00:00Two nannies at the center of an abuse case resulting in the death of an infant have been sentenced.
00:06The case ignited conversations in Taiwan about child abuse and welfare.
00:11Rhys Ayers is live in our Taipei newsroom with more on the story.
00:15Rhys, what was the court's decision?
00:20Well, for the two sisters involved in this case, surnamed Liu,
00:25the elder sister was sentenced to life in prison,
00:28and the younger sister, 18 years.
00:32They both received the maximum sentences on offer for neglecting, abusing and failing to feed one-year-old Kai Kai,
00:42who was the child under their protection,
00:45eventually leading to his death on Christmas Eve of 2023,
00:50after months of torture at the hands of his so-called supposed carers.
00:56Now, these were registered nannies in Taiwan,
01:00appointed by Taiwan's Child Welfare League Foundation,
01:05and it's a case that has really struck a nerve here in Taiwan.
01:09Just after the verdict was announced this afternoon,
01:12I went out on the streets of Taipei to gauge the public's reaction to this case,
01:17and every single person that I spoke to was familiar with this case,
01:21and here's what a few of them had to say about it.
01:24I think this is the right thing to判決.
01:29Because the child is a good thing to do,
01:31and if they have so many of them委屈,
01:34I think it's the right thing to判重 a little bit,
01:37so they can keep saying that it's not true.
01:41Now, throughout this entire trial, protesters have been gathering outside of the courtrooms
02:06where the sisters were being held or being tried to express their disgust,
02:12many of them calling for the death penalty and also expressing concerns over the state of Taiwan's child welfare system.
02:21Just this past weekend, thousands of people gathered outside of the presidential office in Taipei to continue protesting.
02:28They were calling for the establishment of an integrated child protection department
02:34and also to make it impossible in the future for people to get parole who are involved with child abuse cases
02:43that result in the death of a minor.
02:46Now, the Health and Welfare Ministry have said that they're working to enhance child protection efforts,
02:53but exactly what form that might take is still up for discussion.
02:59Thank you, Rhys. We'll be following this story and giving you more updates as they come.
03:04That was Rhys Ayers live from our newsroom.