A three-year prison sentence has been handed to a mother in her 20s for killing her newborn baby soon after giving birth and for concealing the body.

The Seoul Central District Court on Tuesday also sentenced the father, also in his 20s, to two years in prison, saying that he was an accomplice to the crime.

The couple was indicted on charges of killing their newborn shortly after birth at their residence in Seoul’s Gwanak-gu in January 2021. They hid the dead body inside a bag and placed it under an air conditioner on the veranda of their home to avoid being caught.

The two reportedly said during the investigation that they had suffered a stillbirth, but their crime was revealed after the prosecution found out that the couple did not dial 119 or perform CPR. The investigation also found that the two were financially struggling at the time, and unable to afford an abortion.

The woman later admitted to killing her newborn, but denied allegations that she had attempted to dispose of the baby’s body. She claimed that she had initially planned to bury the child in her hometown and hold a funeral there.

A trial court judged that the child was killed by its sole guardian and parent.

The appellate court also sided with the court’s judgment, stating that the child’s body was concealed and neglected until the very end, as neither parent took care of the child.