Ambulance employee fined for causing death of terminally ill patient

An employee of a privately run ambulance service has been fined for dropping a terminally ill patient and causing an injury to the head that ended up killing the patient.

Seoul Central District Court found the 29-year-old employee guilty of death by negligence, for the death of the 85-year-old cancer patient in February. The patient, who had been given three months to live, was being taken home from a local hospital.

The patient was dropped while being moved from the ambulance, resulting in cerebral hemorrhage. The patient died the next day.

Death by negligence is punished by up to two years in jail or a 7 million won ($5,000) fine. The court said it took into consideration the fact that the bereaved family does not want the defendant to be punished.

The defendant has appealed the ruling.