A court in Hanoi has upheld the death sentence handed down to Nguyen Trung Huyen, a 31-year-old resident of Thach That District who was convicted of murder and brutality after killing his partner's daughter by hammering nails into her head.

The High People’s Court in Hanoi held an appeal hearing for Huyen on Wednesday.

In October, Huyen was sentenced to four years behind bars for the brutality charge and to death for murder. 

He later filed an appeal against the verdict, claiming he was innocent of the crimes and that he had been extorted for depositions during the investigation process.

The High People’s Court in Hanoi heard the appeal and concluded that the original verdict and sentence in Huyen’s case were correct and appropriate.

“Huyen’s actions were extremely serious. The defendant violated the rights to life and the health of a child who was unable to defend herself,” according to the appellate court’s decision.

In January last year, police in Hanoi detained Huyen while they investigated allegations that he had broken the girl’s arm, forced her to swallow screws and drink pesticides, and hammered nails into her head. 

The girl was the daughter of Nguyen Thi L., a woman Huyen claimed was his wife though their marriage was never registered.

L. had divorced her husband in June 2021. In September 2021, she and one of her daughters, A., moved in with Huyen. L.’s other two daughters stayed with her ex-husband.

In January 2022, A., was brought to the hospital convulsing, in a coma, and with nails in her skull.

She died in March 2022 at Saint Paul General Hospital in the Vietnamese capital.

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