NZ woman found guilty of killing her two children in 'suitcase murders'
Hakyung Lee, 44, convicted of murder after a two-week trial in Auckland; prosecutors described the killings as calculated, while the defense argued insanity; sentencing scheduled for November.
A New Zealand woman was found guilty of murdering her two children and concealing 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, having pleaded not guilty.
Lee's lawyers argued she was insane at the time of the killings, which occurred months after her husband died of cancer. Prosecutors contended the acts were calculated and deliberate.
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 showed no signs of trauma, though it was clear they had been killed by someone. A pathologist found they had died by homicide by unspecified means, including the use of Nortriptyline, an antidepressant, the prosecution said.
The defense claimed Lee's mental health deteriorated after her husband's death and came to believe it was best if they all died together. This led her to try to kill herself and her children with the antidepressant, but she got the dose wrong — when she woke up, her children were dead. While she did kill her children, her lawyer said she was not guilty of murder by reason of insanity.
But the prosecution argued that Lee had demonstrated rational thought by hiding the children's remains, changing her name and moving back to South Korea. The killings were described as a selfish act to free herself from the burden of parenting alone, the prosecution said.
On Tuesday, Lee had her head down and gave no reaction when the jury delivered the verdict, which came after around three hours of deliberation. Lee is set to be sentenced in November. She faces a maximum sentence of life in prison.
The case drew widespread attention in New Zealand, with coverage focusing on mental health, family tragedy and the impact of international aspects such as the suspect's extradition and relocation.