| For Immediate Release Case # 05HF1371 October 2, 2007 |
Contact: Farrah Emami Spokesperson Office: 714-347-8405 Cell: 714-323-4486 |
BABYSITTER CONVICTED OF
MURDERING 9-MONTH-OLD BABY GIRL
WHOSE PARENTS SHE MET AT CHURCH
SANTA ANA – A babysitter left in charge of her neighbor’s 9-month-old baby was convicted today of murder and child abuse causing death. Irvine mother Sunyhe Choi, 32, was found guilty of inflicting several separate blows to the back of baby Nicole’s head, leading to her death. She now faces 25 years to life in prison at her sentencing on November 16, 2007 in Department C-35, Central Justice Center, Santa Ana.
Choi is married to a landscaper whom she met a couple of years ago. The couple also has a 21-month-old child. Choi was baby-sitting Nicole for Seung Jeong, father, and Kyung Min, mother, who lived in the same Irvine apartment complex near Culver and the 405 freeway. Jeong and Min also had a 4-year-old child who was not present during the killing.
On August 1, 2005 at about 3:30 p.m., Choi called her husband for help while she was taking care of baby Nicole. Choi’s husband came home and called 9-1-1 approximately nine minutes later. The baby never revived. Choi caused a large red bruise on the front of Nicole’s head, as well as bruising on the back, sides, and top of her head. A week earlier, Nicole’s mother noticed a bruise on Nicole, which Choi attributed to a fall.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Steve McGreevy of the Homicide Unit is prosecuting this case.
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