In a tragic and shocking turn of events, a teacher has fatally stabbed an eight-year-old girl at an elementary school in South Korea.
The girl was found with stab wounds on the second floor of a school building. Next to her was the teacher, a woman in her 40s, also marked by apparently self-inflicted stab wounds.
South Korea’s acting president Choi Sang-mok ordered an investigation, urging authorities to “implement necessary measures to ensure such incidents never happen again”.
But this won’t bring the little girl back.
The teacher had requested a six-month leave of absence citing depression in December. However, she returned to work less than a month later, with a doctor assessing her as being fit for work.
A few days before stabbing the little girl, the teacher had put another teacher in a headlock.
After the attack on the co-worker, the education office recommended that the teacher be put on leave and be separated physically from the other teacher.
She then was made to sit next to the vice principal’s desk under supervision, but it isn’t clear why better measures weren’t taken.
The teacher did not even have a relationship with the student, authorities said.
Another fear has been instilled in the hearts of parents around the world with this event. South Korea, generally cheery and safe, has seen an upsurge in crime in recent years.
