A woman in New Zealand has been sentenced to at least 17 years in prison for the murders of her two children, whose bodies were discovered in suitcases after being hidden for years. The sentencing took place on March 6, 2024, at the High Court in Auckland, where Justice Geoffrey Venning addressed the case of Hakyung Lee.
Lee, who was found guilty in September 2023 of killing her daughters, Minu Jo, aged 6, and Yuna Jo, aged 8, was ordered to begin her sentence in a locked psychiatric facility due to her mental health issues. Justice Venning explained that Lee would return to prison once she is deemed stable enough for incarceration.
In court, Lee’s defense team argued for a reduced sentence, citing her mental illness and expressing that she felt shame for her actions. They highlighted her experience of isolation and threats while in custody. Nevertheless, Justice Venning emphasized that while Lee was suffering from severe depression at the time of the murders in March 2018, her actions were intentional and premeditated.
The case is particularly harrowing. The children’s remains were discovered in a storage unit after Lee failed to pay rent in 2022, leading to the auction of the unit’s contents. The buyers made the grim discovery, which prompted an investigation. Following the killings, Lee fled to South Korea, where she changed her name before being extradited back to New Zealand to face trial.
During the proceedings, Lee’s legal representatives acknowledged that she had caused the children’s deaths by administering antidepressant medication, but claimed that her mental state had deteriorated significantly following her husband’s death. Attorney Lorraine Smith described Lee as “fragile” and stated that her mental health had severely declined in recent years.
In New Zealand, individuals convicted of murder are automatically given a life sentence, with judges determining a minimum term before parole eligibility. In this instance, Justice Venning ruled that Lee must serve a minimum of 17 years before she can apply for release.
The impact of this tragedy was felt deeply by the children’s family. Jimmy Sei Wook Jo, the children’s uncle, expressed his devastation in a statement read in court. He lamented, “I never imagined such a profound tragedy would ever befall our family. I feel like I failed to look after my niece and nephew.”
Additionally, Lee’s mother, Choon Ja Lee, shared her heartbreak, describing the emotional pain as “a feeling that cut through my bones.” She expressed uncertainty about when her grief might heal, indicating the lasting effects of this tragedy.
Following the sentencing, New Zealand police extended gratitude to their South Korean counterparts for their assistance in the investigation. Detective Inspector Tofilau Faamanuia Va’aelua reflected on the loss, stating, “Yuna and Minu would have been 16 and 13 today. Our thoughts are with the wider family today for the tragic loss of these two young children.”
