Trot Singer Dubbed 'Angel' Arrested for Allegedly Killing Own Daughter

SBS investigative program "Unanswered Questions," which aired on the afternoon of January 6, delved into the case of a woman in her 40s, known locally as an "angel singer," who was arrested on charges of killing her own daughter.

Kim Se-ra (pseudonym, 46), who reportedly graduated from a prestigious Seoul medical school and won various beauty pageants, had built her reputation through volunteer work and charitable activities while working as a trot singer and promotional ambassador for various organizations.

The case surfaced in September last year. At 4:54 p.m. on September 22, Kim rushed her daughter to an emergency room at a hospital in Namhae, South Gyeongsang Province, crying "save her," but the daughter was already dead.

The victim was Lee Seo-yeon (pseudonym), a university freshman who had dreamed of becoming a pilot. Kim claimed she had been talking with her daughter just moments before and could not accept her death. However, medical staff found vivid bruises across the body, severe burn marks, and signs of malnutrition and dehydration. The victim was so emaciated that she hardly looked like an adult in her 20s.

An autopsy determined the cause of death as "complications from systemic injuries." The conclusion was that prolonged external trauma had caused muscle rupture and accumulated subcutaneous bleeding, leading to shock and death.

Investigation revealed that Kim had visited the Namhae Cultural Center the day before to install audio equipment for fire drills, and her daughter was confirmed to have been with her. When it emerged that the fatally injured daughter had been left unattended in the back seat of a vehicle for approximately 25 hours, police arrested Kim on charges of abandonment resulting in death.

Kim strongly denied the allegations. She claimed that her live-in boyfriend, identified only as Ahn, was responsible for her daughter's condition, alleging he had routinely assaulted and sexually harassed her.

However, contradicting testimony followed. An acquaintance who had known Kim for 30 years told the program's production team, "Kim is someone who lies with every breath she takes. Ahn is a good person, and if he hadn't left the house, he would have been beaten to death by Kim."

Evidence confirmed that Ahn had fled the home barefoot in March, unable to endure Kim's obsessive behavior and violence any longer.

Prosecutors indicted Kim in October on charges of killing her own daughter. According to the indictment, Lee had reported domestic violence to police on February 28. When the live-in boyfriend left in March, Kim allegedly blamed her daughter, saying "Ahn left because of you."

Statements also indicated that verbal abuse and insults continued whenever the daughter failed to fill the gap left by the departed manager. Evidence emerged that Kim had beaten her daughter with a wooden stick two days before the death. Experts have raised the possibility that Kim may have narcissistic personality disorder.

Prosecutors are also reviewing whether to apply "murder by omission," citing evidence that Kim failed to seek medical help and left her daughter unattended despite knowing she was in critical condition.