TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – The Taipei District Court on Thursday (April 18) indicted a foster care nanny and her sister for torturing a child resulting in death.
The elder sister, Liu Cai-xuan (劉彩萱), and her younger sister Liu Ruo-lin (劉若琳), appeared in court where Taipei prosecutors described the abuse they inflicted on the 20-month-old child. The child was nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴) and the abuse took place over three months, resulting in the child’s death in late December, reported NOW News.
A social worker surnamed Chen (陳) involved in the case was charged with neglecting to perform regular checks to ensure proper care of the child, contributing to wrongful death. Chen was given an option of providing NT$300,000 (US$9,250) in bail money but is also being investigated for other crimes, per reports.
Additionally, four relatives of the Liu sisters have been indicted on charges relating to tampering with evidence, and making false statements to police to cover up crimes of the sisters, reported NOW.
The arrest of the Liu sisters in March shocked Taiwan with reports of torture inflicted on a 20-month-old child, nicknamed Kai Kai (剴剴), who had been placed in the older sister’s care through Taipei City’s foster care program while the child’s parents were both serving jail sentences.
UDN reported the Liu sisters entered into a foster care agreement with Kai Kai’s mother and the Taipei City government in mid-August 2023, in which Liu would receive NT$1,000 per day to take care of the toddler. The foster care period began on Sept. 1, almost three months before Kai Kai was admitted to a Taipei hospital, where he died on Dec. 23.
The elder Liu was said to be responsible for horrific acts of abuse, but denied the charges against her in court. Prosecutors used statements from her sister’s interrogation as proof that both women were responsible for intentionally harming the child in their care.
The sisters would reportedly tie the child to furniture in the home, and put him in a small bucket for long periods. The child was either starved, or fed cold leftover scraps in used paper cups, which contributed to malnutrition, organ failure, and the loss of teeth.
Earlier reports indicate the child’s bone structure was deformed as a result of the sisters tying his arms and legs and that he was often left unclothed despite the cold winter weather. Some of his fingernails had reportedly been pulled off, and he also had burns to his genitals.
Both sisters will remain in custody until their trial, without the option of bail or visitation.
