The bodies of two young children discovered in suitcases in New Zealand – allegedly after having been killed by their mother – contained traces of an anti-depressant drug, a court has heard.
Hakyung Lee, 44, is being tried in an Auckland court over allegations that she murdered her children – eight-year-old Yuna Jo and six-year-old Minu Jo – and hid their bodies in a storage facility.
The remains of the children were discovered inside suitcases by a family who had purchased the contents of the storage unit at auction in 2022.
Traces of the anti-depressant Nortriptyline were later found in the chest cavity and liver of both Yuna and Minu, prosecutor Natalie Walker told the court on Tuesday.
The drug should not be given to children, and in cases of overdose can cause seizures, drowsiness or death.
Ms Lee was prescribed Nortriptyline as a trial in 2017 after telling a doctor she was having trouble sleeping and felt dizzy following her husband's cancer diagnosis.
She has pleaded not guilty to two charges of murder but accepts she caused the deaths of her children, the court heard.
She also admits that after their deaths, she wrapped them in three plastic bags, put them in suitcases that she sealed with duct tape, and took them to a storage centre where she left them for four years, according to the prosecution.
Prosecutors allege Ms Lee changed her name and, a month after killing her children and hiding their bodies, flew to Seoul on a business class seat.
She was arrested in Ulsan, South Korea in September 2022 after Interpol issued a global red notice for her and was extradited to New Zealand in November of that year.
The court on Tuesday heard grisly details of how the children's bodies were discovered.
In August 2022, two members of the public won an auction and paid $401 New Zealand dollars for Ms Lee's abandoned storage locker, which was filled with household items including bikes, clothing, and two suitcases.
Upon loading these suitcases, the buyer noticed an unusual smell and upon cutting into the locked suitcases, found several plastic bags tightly tied. Inside were the bodies of two children, identified as Yuna and Minu.
An autopsy concluded there was no sign of trauma, indicating that the children were killed by someone else. A pathologist stated they died by homicide by unspecified means, including the drug Nortriptyline.
Prior to the tragic events, Ms Lee reportedly expressed to family and friends that she would die if her husband did, demonstrating her deep distress.
Her defense attorney argued that Ms Lee's psychological breakdown began with her husband's illness, leading her to believe it was best for the family to perish together. The trial continues, with expectations it will clarify the state of Ms. Lee's mental health at the time of the children's deaths.
