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A woman in her 50s has been arrested on suspicion of killing her husband after falling into despair following the death of their daughter, police said. Investigators believe she intended to die alongside him.
The Bundang Police Station in Gyeonggi Province referred the suspect, identified only as A, to prosecutors on murder charges, according to a JoongAng Ilbo report Thursday.
According to the investigation, A is accused of secretly lacing her husband B's jjamppong — a spicy Chinese-style noodle soup — with a lethal dose of a chemical substance at a Chinese restaurant in Bundang-gu, Seongnam, on May 20, causing his death.
A also ate the soup, then returned to the goshiwon — a small rented room — where the couple was staying and fell asleep. She woke up vomiting the following morning and was rescued after a neighbor called for help.
Officers who responded to the call confirmed that her husband, B, had died.
A suicide note written by A was found inside the couple's room at the goshiwon. It expressed remorse toward their daughter, who had predeceased them, and described A's despair over her circumstances.
The couple had lost their daughter years earlier after she battled cancer. B had reportedly argued frequently with A over her habit of keeping their late daughter's urn close — carrying it in their vehicle and keeping it in the room.
Police obtained a statement from A saying she had wanted to die together with her husband and join their deceased daughter, and secured an arrest warrant on charges of aiding suicide. A told investigators during questioning, "I suggested we die together, and my husband agreed, so I did it."
If you're thinking about self-harm or suicide, contact the Ministry of Health and Welfare's helpline 1393, available 24/7. Please request a translator for English-language services.
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