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A father was booked by police on Monday for possessing and using controlled drugs in the presence of his newborn baby.
The Women’s and Juvenile Affairs bureau under Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Tuesday that it had booked the man, only identified by his surname Jung, for breaching the Child Welfare Act, stating that abuse of drugs can cause emotional child abuse to an infant.
According to a complaint filed to the police last week by his family, Jung, who owns a home appliance importer, had invited two of his acquaintances to his house in Seoul’s Seongdong-gu and took marijuana.
The man had reportedly used the cannabis with his friends while holding his one-month-son son, telling friends his use of marijuana was an “early childhood education." His wife was not present at the time of the incident.
Police said that the father’s use of drugs close to his son could be an act of child abuse under the Child Welfare Act, which is why Jung is being investigated for potential child endangerment.
Police explained that taking large doses of cannabis can cause acute psychosis which includes hallucinations and delusions, where one may suffer from anxiety disorders in serious cases.
Jung has allegedly admitted to vaping liquid marijuana in front of his newborn son during a police investigation.
Separately, he had previously undergone a police investigation for violating the Narcotics Control Act from August to October 2021.
Seoul Bangbae Police Station said the 2021 case was sent to the Suwon District Prosecutors’ Office last month, but the investigation for child abuse is still in progress by the Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency.
