Mother and lover who enticed 3-year-old boy to use drugs were not prosecuted

On May 29, the People's Court of Hoc Mon District (HCMC) held a closed trial of the case of a mother's lover giving a 3-year-old boy drugs. The court sentenced Le Van Bam (45 years old, the lover of the boy's mother) to 2 years and 6 months in prison for "torturing others" and 6 years in prison for "illegal possession of drugs", with a total sentence of 8 years and 6 months in prison. At the same time, the court sentenced Nguyen Thao Nguyen (23 years old, the boy's mother) to 1 year in prison for "torturing others".

According to the court, both defendants confessed that they lived together as husband and wife, with the aforementioned boy (Nguyen's stepchild) living with them. The defendants determined that Bam used drug paraphernalia with his friends. After they left, Bam brought the paraphernalia near the boy and lit a match to burn the remaining drugs. The boy inhaled and smoked, while the boy's mother used her phone to film.

"Because the investigation agency did not collect any evidence related to drugs, there is not enough basis to prosecute the defendants for enticing others to illegally use drugs. However, there is enough basis to determine that the defendants' actions demonstrate cruelty," the verdict stated.

The two defendants Le Van Bam and Nguyen Thao Nguyen in court.

According to the indictment, Nguyen is married and has two children, a 5-year-old child and T. (3 years old, as of 2021, when the above incident occurred).

In October 2021, Nguyen's husband was taken to compulsory drug rehabilitation by the police. During this time, Nguyen lived as husband and wife with Le Van Bam and Nguyen's two children in Hoc Mon District, Ho Chi Minh City. During this time, Bam repeatedly abused the 3-year-old boy, but Nguyen did not stop him and instead used his cell phone to record it.

Specifically, on April 10, 2022, Bam forced the 3-year-old boy to hold a bottle of mineral water with both hands and not let it go. After holding it for a while, the boy got tired and let it go, Bam cursed and threatened him. Bam also threatened to cut off the boy's genitals.

Half a month later, Bam used tape to tie the baby’s hands and feet, leaving him lying on the floor without any clothes on… The entire process took place, the baby’s mother was present in the room, saw and used her phone to record Bam abusing her child. After that, the baby’s mother went on Facebook and sent the clips to her friend for fun and entertainment.

In March 2023, the child's father returned to his hometown after completing drug rehabilitation and discovered clips recording images and voices of Bam abusing his child, and four clips of Nguyen recording Bam giving Nguyen's child suspected drugs. The child's father then went to the police to report the incident.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khong-xu-ly-me-va-nguoi-tinh-loi-keo-be-trai-3-tuoi-hut-ma-tuy-185240529165926687.htm