'Grandmother hits me': Child who died at church sent multiple distress signals

An 11-year-old child living at a church in Cheonan, South Korea, sent multiple signals for help in the days before their death, but tragically, these pleas went unanswered, leading to a fatal outcome.

The child, who resided at the church, managed to leave the premises twice to seek assistance. On the first occasion, the child approached a man at a convenience store near the church on August 2nd, asking for help. This individual took the child to the police station. However, the police returned the child to the church.

The following day, the child again left the church and sought help at a nearby restaurant. Restaurant staff then handed the child over to a police substation. At this point, the child reportedly told the police that their maternal grandmother had beaten them.

Following this report, police investigated the church with officials from Cheonan City. They considered transferring the child to a protective facility but could not find a suitable placement due to the child's behavioral characteristics. The police then informed the maternal grandmother of emergency protective measures and sought an injunction to prevent her from approaching the child.

Despite these interventions, the child died on August 6th. The circumstances surrounding the child's death, including the repeated attempts to seek help and the authorities' response, have raised serious questions about child protection protocols.