University of Michigan graduate student who disciplined children with baseball bat enters plea
A University of Michigan graduate student pleaded guilty to reduced child abuse charges for striking his children with a baseball bat to discipline them.
Gibeum Kim, 38, appeared in Washtenaw County District Court for a preliminary hearing and pleaded guilty to added counts of fourth-degree child abuse, court records show.
Two counts of third-degree child abuse will be dismissed at sentencing on Sept. 14. Kim was arrested by officers with the U-M Department of Public Safety after they responded to his residence in the Northwood Community Apartments on North Campus on a child abuse report.
Authorities said he used a bat to discipline his children, both under the age of 12, after they misbehaved on Aug. 9. The children were treated at the U-M Medical Center’s emergency room for substantial bruising, police said.
Kim, a Korean immigrant who is seeking a master’s degree in business administration, requested a Korean interpreter for court proceedings.
He remains free on a personal bond and is allowed to visit his children within the parameters set by officials with protective services, according to court records.
Comments
FeatOfClay
Wed, Sep 1, 2010 : 8:55 a.m.
Some Guy: I understand that, I acknowledged that his connection to U-M would be appropriate in the details of the story. It's the headline I question, highlighting his U-M connection as if it was the main reason this is newsworthy.
Sallyxyz
Sun, Aug 29, 2010 : 11:21 a.m.
"Authorities said he used a bat to discipline his children, both under the age of 12, after they misbehaved on Aug. 9. The children were treated at the U-M Medical Centers emergency room for substantial bruising, police said." This guy is an abuser. Substantial bruising with a baseball bat is a serious crime. Sounds more like felony assault to me. He ends up pleading guilty to reduced child abuse charges, the "added" counts of fourth-degree child abuse (which is not what he was arrested for), and the two counts of third-degree child abuse will be dismissed at sentencing. Plea bargaining makes a joke of the criminal justice system, and this is yet one more example of some guy beating up his kids with a baseball bat, the kids end up in the ER, and he probably ends up with probation. Slap on the wrist for a serious criminal act. Should he get counseling? Yes. Should he spend some time in jail? YES.
Some Guy in 734
Fri, Aug 27, 2010 : 9:32 a.m.
A possible reason for the University mention: Note that Northwood is University-owned housing. As such, it was responded to by DPS. I've never had a run-in with them so I'm speculating here, of course, but it seems that if a suspect has a University connection, DPS would probably include that in their records.
rrt911
Fri, Aug 27, 2010 : 6:17 a.m.
Again, sensationalism without a purpose. Right, I'll only read this story because it was a UofM grad who wielded the bat? Really? I don't usually have a problem with A2.com, but why these headlines?
jcj
Thu, Aug 26, 2010 : 2:50 p.m.
FeatOfClay I agree, what difference does it make if he was a graduate student or a garbage collector! Was it really a wooden or aluminum bat as opposed to a plastic bat? Not that a plastic bat would not do damage.
FeatOfClay
Thu, Aug 26, 2010 : 10:27 a.m.
I kept looking for the U-M connection, since the man's status as a U-M grad student was in the headline. I expected to find a story about a graduate student who did this while working at a U-M child care center, perhaps, or who did it as part of a creepy and extremely ill-advised psychology experiment for his dissertation. It turns out it's just a rotten guy who happens to be a U-M graduate student. That's a part of the story, but why the headline? If the father worked for the cable company, would the headline read "Comcast technician who disciplined children with baseball bat enters plea...?"
DFSmith
Thu, Aug 26, 2010 : 9:22 a.m.
I hope he gets some counseling, so,that he doesnt repeat the child abuse again. And I also hope that he is monitored, so that he doesnt take revenge on his kids and his wife for getting in trouble with the law.