Caregiver shaved her unconscious mother. Daughter’s fury ends in court

A South Korean woman was issued a fine of 1.5 million won ($1,010), suspended for one year, for assaulting a caregiver who shaved her unconscious mother’s head. The caregiver had also earlier received a suspended fine from the court for the incident.

According to legal sources Tuesday, the Busan District Court showed leniency toward the daughter despite her conviction for special assault, which is a more serious charge than simple assault. The act was upgraded because it involved scissors, with which she had threatened to shave the caregiver’s head in retaliation.

The court said it took into account that the defendant had earlier indicated she did not wish to see the caregiver punished when the caregiver herself faced assault charges over shaving the patient's head without consent.

The case stemmed from an incident on April 4, 2024, at a hospital in Jung-gu, Busan. The daughter, in her 50s, confronted the caregiver, in her 60s, after discovering that the caregiver had shaved the head of her mother. She allegedly grabbed the caregiver by the hair, shook her and threatened to cut her hair "the same way," holding a pair of scissors.

The suspended fine for both the daughter and caregiver means they are not required to pay the fine unless they commit another offense during the indicated period.