A woman has been convicted of murdering her two children and hiding their bodies in suitcases for four years until they were found. The jury at the High Court in Auckland, New Zealand, dismissed the defense of insanity put forth by Hakyung Lee’s attorneys. Lee, who fled to South Korea after the killings and was later extradited for trial, faced charges for the deaths of Minu Jo, six, and Yuna Jo, eight, in June 2018. The children’s remains were discovered in luggage at an abandoned storage unit in Auckland in August 2022.

Despite being a New Zealand citizen, Lee traveled to South Korea and changed her name shortly after the children’s deaths. Originally known as Ji Eun Lee, she was born in South Korea. The 45-year-old woman was brought back from South Korea in November 2022 and denied the charges, claiming insanity during the killings according to her legal team.

While Lee’s lawyers acknowledged her role in the children’s deaths through the administration of anti-depressant medication, they argued that her mental state had deteriorated into madness, exacerbated by the loss of her husband. Prosecutors contended that Lee’s actions displayed premeditation and selfishness, indicating a deliberate plan to eliminate her children and start anew.

The bodies of the children were uncovered when Lee failed to pay storage fees, leading to an online auction of the locker’s contents where the bodies were discovered. Following the jury’s swift decision, Lee was ordered to remain in custody until her sentencing on November 26. In New Zealand, murder carries a mandatory life sentence with a minimum of 10 years before parole eligibility.

At the start of the trial on September 8, Justice Geoffrey Venning permitted Lee to observe proceedings from a separate room due to potential distress. However, she stood in court with her head bowed and face covered by her hair during the verdict announcement.