Autopsy rules out starvation in father, baby death

Police and forensic authorities have ruled out starvation as the most probable cause of the recent deaths of a father and baby, whose bodies were found side by side in a studio apartment in Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, Thursday.

With no evidence suggesting a break-in, police had first suspected that the father most likely died after suffering from an illness, while his son died of starvation, citing the lack of signs that the kitchen had been used and their emaciated bodies.

Initial autopsy findings revealed that neither father nor baby had an empty stomach, police said. The full autopsy report on stomach contents and any trace elements of poison will take 15 days to a month. 

Until the autopsy report comes in, police said they plan to check the man’s hospital, phone records and security footage and run a paternity test since the father does not have a valid resident registration number and the baby lacks a birth certificate.

The father had been unemployed for some time prior to his death and was living in the studio under the mother’s name. He had broken off his relationship with his wife some months ago, and had been taking care of the baby by himself.

Police said they are currently trying to contact the man’s former wife.

By Catherine Chung (cec82@heraldcorp.com)