A New Zealand mother, Hakyung Lee, 44, is standing trial in Auckland for the alleged murders of her two children — Yuna Jo, 8, and Minu Jo, 6 — whose bodies were found in suitcases four years after their deaths.
Prosecutors revealed that Lee allegedly drugged the children with a powerful antidepressant and later stored their remains in plastic-wrapped suitcases, which were only discovered in 2022 after a family unknowingly purchased the storage unit at auction.
Children Allegedly Drugged With Nortriptyline
According to prosecutors, toxicology tests found traces of Nortriptyline, a strong tricyclic antidepressant, in both children’s chest cavities and livers. Though the exact dose couldn’t be determined due to the time gap, a pathologist confirmed the cause of death as homicide by unspecified means. No visible trauma was found on the children’s bodies.
Nortriptyline can cause seizures, heart arrhythmias, and cardiac arrest in children, even at low doses, according to medical experts at The Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne.
Lee had been prescribed the drug in 2017, shortly after her husband was diagnosed with cancer. She reportedly told her doctor she was suffering from dizziness and insomnia.
Mental Health and Chilling Texts
Prosecutors argue that Lee’s mental health deteriorated following her husband’s illness and death. She allegedly texted him, “If you die, I will die along with our two kids,” and later told a friend she wished the whole family had died together in a plane crash.
In court, it was revealed that Lee allegedly wrapped each child’s body in three layers of plastic, sealed them with duct tape, and stored them in separate suitcases. She then left the country in business class, changed her name, and was only extradited from South Korea in 2022.
Insanity Defense: “A Descent Into Madness”
Lee has pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder and is pursuing an insanity defense.
Her defense attorney argued this week that Lee experienced a “descent into madness”, and though she did kill her children, she was not legally sane at the time. “She has killed her children, but she is not guilty of murder by reason of insanity,” the attorney stated in court.
What the Jury Must Decide
Justice Geoffrey Venning, overseeing the trial, told jurors that they may need to decide not only whether Lee was responsible for the children’s deaths, but also whether she was legally insane at the time of the killings — a determination that could affect the final verdict.
The case continues to unfold and has drawn international attention due to its disturbing nature and the long delay in the discovery of the children’s remains.
