Jail time likely spared for man in wife's suicide plunge

A South Korean man accused of helping his wife commit suicide by allowing her to drive the family minivan off a 300-foot (90-meter) cliff with their children inside pleaded guilty Wednesday to child endangerment in a deal that will likely spare him any prison time.

Victor Han, 35, admitted in Rockland County Court that he knew his wife was putting herself and their children in danger when he stepped outside the vehicle last June at a scenic overlook at Bear Mountain.

His 35-year-old wife, Hejin Han, drove the family's Honda Odyssey off the cliff. She was killed, but the children, 5-year-old Ariana and 3-year-old Itana, were belted into car seats and survived without major injury.

State Supreme Court Justice William Kelly said the prosecution was recommending three years probation on Han's guilty plea to one count of endangering the welfare of a child. Han, who is seeking full custody of the children, is currently seeing them at supervised visits, said prosecutor Louis Valvo.

Han, an architect who now lives in the Queens borough of New York City, remained free on $40,000 (EUR30,000) bail pending his June 6 sentencing.