Taipei: The Child Welfare League Foundation (CWLF) issued a public apology and called for urgent systemic reforms on Tuesday after two sisters, who worked as nannies and were commissioned by the CWLF to care for a 1-year-old boy, were sentenced to prison for fatally abusing him. The Taipei District Court handed Liu Tsai-hsuan a life sentence and her sister, Liu Juo-lin, an 18-year sentence for charges including abuse resulting in the child’s death.
According to Focus Taiwan, judges described the actions of the sisters as cruel and deeply harmful, noting that they “derived pleasure from abuse.” The older sister was hired by the Taipei-based CWLF to provide full-time foster care for the boy, nicknamed Kai Kai. Kai Kai’s mother went missing after his birth in February 2022, and with his father’s whereabouts unknown, custody was transferred to his grandmother. She expressed the intention to put him up for adoption in June 2023, leading the CWLF to take over the case.
In its statement, the CWLF admitted to failing in preventing the tragedy, pledged a comprehensive internal review, and emphasized its readiness to assume legal responsibility if found liable in future proceedings. The organization, committed to child welfare, also called for nationwide structural changes, including establishing a central government agency to coordinate child and youth welfare policy.
The foundation urged lawmakers to expedite a dedicated childcare services act to ensure vulnerable and special-needs children receive prioritized support and funding. On Tuesday, New Power Party Chairwoman Claire Wang stressed the necessity to prevent further tragedies by passing legislation. She proposed tools such as a childcare monitoring platform and a transparent caregiver registry, highlighting issues such as an aging nanny workforce and regulatory gaps.
Democratic Progressive Party lawmaker Lin Yueh-chin, meanwhile, highlighted flaws in the child protection system, contending that legal loopholes and inconsistent enforcement have weakened protection for minors. Lin called for an immediate legal review and clearer definitions of abuse to strengthen both criminal and administrative protections.