A woman accused of killing her two children and hiding their bodies in suitcases has been found guilty of murder in one of the most shocking criminal cases in the country’s recent history.
On Tuesday, the Auckland High Court convicted 44-year-old Hakyung Lee of murder after a two-week trial. She had denied the charges, pleading not guilty by reason of insanity.
The case first came to light in 2022 when a family purchased the contents of an abandoned storage unit in Auckland and discovered the children’s remains inside suitcases. Authorities later revealed the bodies had been stored there for years.
Lee, originally from South Korea, was arrested in Ulsan in September 2022 and extradited back to New Zealand to face trial.
During proceedings, prosecutors argued that Lee’s actions were calculated. They said she poisoned her children with Nortriptyline, an antidepressant she had been prescribed, before concealing their remains, changing her name, and relocating to South Korea. According to the prosecution, the killings were a “selfish act to free herself from the burden of parenting alone.”
The defense, however, painted a different picture. They claimed Lee’s mental health had deteriorated after the death of her husband, Ian Jo, from cancer in 2017. Believing it was best if the family died together, Lee allegedly attempted to kill herself and her children with the medication. While she survived, her children did not. Her lawyers argued she should be found not guilty due to insanity.
Despite this defense, the jury deliberated for only three hours before reaching a guilty verdict. Lee showed no visible reaction in court as the decision was announced.
She is scheduled to be sentenced in November and faces a possible life sentence.
