21일 오전 7시 58분께 제주시 외도일동 모 어린이집에서 40∼50대 부부와 자녀 등 일가족 4명이 숨져 있는 것을 출근한 여교사가 발견, 경찰에 신고했다.
경찰과 제주소방안전본부 등에 따르면 이들은 어린이집 원장 일가족으로 추정되며 남편 고모(52)씨가 아내인 어린이집 원장 양모(40)씨, 중학생 아들(14)과 초등학생 딸(11)을 흉기로 살해한 뒤 스스로 목숨을 끊은 것으로 추정되고 있다.
남편은 3층 난간에 목을 매 2층 계단으로 떨어져 숨진 채 발견됐다. 이어 신고를 받고 출동한 경찰이 2층 가정집을 수색하는 과정에서 아내와 아이들이 숨져 있는 것을 발견했다.
<관련 영문 기사>
Man kills wife, kids at day care
A 52-year-old man killed his wife and children with a weapon and hanged himself at a day care center on Jeju Island, officials said Monday.
The man, identified only by his surname Koh, was found dead on the second floor of the center, where he lives together with his family, by a teacher, the Jeju Fire Safety Headquarters said.
Also found dead were his 40-year-old wife Yang, who is the head of the day care, and two children, aged 14 and 11.
The teacher first reported at 7:58 a.m. that she had discovered Koh's body, and police found the three others while searching the scene.
The wife remarried Koh four years ago. The son and the daughter are from Yang and her ex-husband, police said.
There have been statements from their acquaintances that they had recent family troubles.
Koh did not mention his family in his suicide note, police added.
Police are investigating the case based on the teacher's statement that she smelled smoke when she first discovered Koh. So far, there have been no signs that a fire was made at the center, according to the police.
"While the deaths seem likely to be Koh's conduct, we need to first find out the motive," police said. (Yonhap)
