Police arrested the mother after her husband made a 119 emergency call, saying his daughter was not breathing. The hospital reported to police, as it appeared to be a case of murder.

They said interrogation revealed that the woman "followed the same exorcism rite shown on a film aired by a cable TV service" and strangled her daughter to "exorcise evil spirits out of her body."

The woman also thought performing the exorcism could instantly heal the developmental disorders affecting her daughter's language ability, according to investigators.

Her medical records showed Choi had seen a doctor for a mental disorder in the past, police said. But her case was not serious enough for the doctor to give a diagnosis.

The husband was not involved in the murder or abuse of his daughter, the police said. (Yonhap)