Yesterday, Victor Han, a 35-year-old Staten Island man, pleaded guilty to child endangerment at a Rockland County court. He also admitted that he knew his wife was thinking about suicide when he got out of the car and that she might put their children at danger.
Last summer, Han, his wife, and two young children went to Bear Mountain to sight see. While parked near a 300-foot drop, Han got out of the car with the motor running, and his wife Heijin put the car into gear and drove off the cliff. Heijin Han died, while their 3- and 5-year-old daughters were saved by wearing seat belts. After the news of the suicide, it was revealed that Han had been having an affair and had money problems.
Han "avoided charges of promoting a suicide and reckless endangerment" with his plea; he'll serve three years of probation. The Rockland County DA emphasized their main concern was for the children (hence the plea deal) and said, "The probation sentence works in conjunction with the [Staten Island] Family Court finding. We are assured that the children will be properly supervised. The Han children have been in foster care, and a hearing is scheduled for May to see whether Han can regain custody of them. Han's lawyer Lawrence Goldman said, "If he had the chance to do it over, he would never have left his wife alone with the children in the car."
