New Zealand 'suitcase murders': Woman gets life in prison for killing her two children
BBC NewsNOV 26
New Zealand Mother Gets Life in Prison for Murdering Her Children
Above: Hakyung Lee at the New Zealand High Court in Auckland on Nov. 26, 2025. Image credit: Michael Craig/The New Zealand Herald/Getty Images
The Spin
Narrative A
This was a heartbreaking tragedy, not grounds for insanity. Lee admitted drugging her children, hiding their bodies and fleeing — actions showing clear awareness of wrongdoing. Even the defense expert withdrew support for an insanity plea, and the jury swiftly convicted her. Her deliberate choices showed she understood the moral weight of what she did.
Narrative B
While this is first and foremost a tragic murder and must be treated as such, the systemic issues demand deeper study. Filicide often arises from isolation, violence or severe maternity-related disorders. With parental deaths from drugs, firearms and suicide rising sharply in the West, it's clear that mentally ill parents face a mounting crisis.