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crime

19-year-old woman arrested for abandoning newborn baby

27 Comments

Police in Kasukabe, Saitama Prefecture, have arrested a 19-year-old woman on suspicion of abandoning the body of her newborn baby girl last month.

According to police, the woman, who cannot be named because she is a minor, gave birth to the infant early in the morning on May 16 in the toilet of an apartment she shares with three other men and women, Kyodo News reported.

The infant’s body, with its umbilical cord still attached, was found in a canal with water about 20 cms deep by a passerby at around 4 p.m. the same day.

Police said the three people who shared the apartment with the woman told them they had no idea she was pregnant.

The woman was identified after an analysis of street surveillance camera footage of the area, police said.

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27 Comments
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Clearly the Govt. should establish serious adoption program. So many sad married couples want and could afford a child, while young people wouldn't be forced to destroy life, both theirs and the newborn!

4 ( +9 / -5 )

This is not abandoning a body. It is murder.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

Her roommates said they had no idea she was pregnant? That's an outright lie.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

This is not abandoning a body. It is murder.

They always use this charge to hold the suspect while they decide which charge(s) to bring next.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

This is the result of insufficient or nonexistent sex ed in schools coupled with the lack of baby hatches and safe haven laws. Japan's low birth rates are already at critical levels but they're not doing anything in this regard to offer help and support to those who are pregnant but don't have the means to support and raise a child.

Also, the fact that the woman's housemates were unaware of her pregnancy is just sad and rather suspicious. How can you not know someone is pregnant when you live with them?!

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

one_consciousnessToday  06:17 pm JST

When baby abandonment is so common in Japan and yet almost unheard of in most other developed nations, you know there must be a serious problem here. What are the authorities doing apart from charging these women with a crime?!

Abandoning a body, baby or otherwise, is a holding charge possibly unique to Japan (I could be wrong on that). When cause of death has been established then further charges may follow. It is always thus.

There are several possibilities regarding cause of death and there is no point in speculating when no information is available. It may turn out to have been a stillbirth, time will tell.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Harry_Gatto -  It may turn out to have been a stillbirth,

Still births rarely (if ever) go full term.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Really sad considering Japan has the easiest access to abortion in the world. These kind of stories would make more sense in religious America. Personally I think abortion is a sad thing but I’m still pro choice. This is much sadder. RIP.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@one_consciousness

Correct.

People think that morality is inherent to human beings. We are animals after all. When social construct fails, we go back to eating each other.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

LindsayToday  08:39 pm JST

Still births rarely (if ever) go full term.

There is no information, at least in this article, about this birth being full term or if the baby was a still-birth or a still-born. Any further comment from either of us would be inappropriate and I regret my earlier speculation.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Still births rarely (if ever) go full term.

A stillbirth is the birth of a baby that has died in the womb after about the 28th week.

Before that time, it’s a miscarriage.

There is no indication in the article that it was or was not a stillbirth.

If the people she lived with didn’t know she was pregnant, it could be that she wasn’t far enough along to show much; if she were naturally plump, she could well go unnoticed till around the 6-month mark.

We don’t know any of the details and probably never will.

Poor baby, poor young mum.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

this litle life could have a chance to live and the mother could have her burden less heavy if there were places where you can just leave a baby after its born if you dont want it. is it that difficult to organize such places? does it take much money? more than they spend on funny policies motivating childbirth?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Really John ?? No other country that has so many babies killed or tortured...

Try reading some horror stories from India, where parents favour having boys because they can generate more money for the family. Guess what happens to unwanted baby girls ..

Regarding this 19 year-old girl - I don't think we can pass judgement until we know more about her situation ... Could be some twisted stuff going on in that house.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Let me get this straight...So, a "19 year old woman" can't be named because she is a "minor"?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Let me get this straight...So, a "19 year old woman" can't be named because she is a "minor"?

What difference would it make if you knew her name, whatever her age?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Ruddy hell, not again SMH. Thrown into a canal, a canal of all places, defies belief doesn’t it. Society is on a Downward spiral of immoral narcissistic behaviour stoked by a lack of discipline and the erosion of the traditional family unit.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

immoral narcissistic behaviour 

Chigau chigau

immoral narcissistic behaviour isnt caused by lack of discipline or tradition influence -only by lack of EMPATHY. Lack of empathy often caused by narcissistic parents or unhealthy family situation both can go along a strong tradition present or discipline. Lack of empathy though also has to do with the lack of spiritual connection with God.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Wow, sad.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

The infant’s body, with its umbilical cord still attached, was found in a canal with water about 20 cms deep by a passerby 

Is this disgusting act becoming the new trend in Japan? This is like the 3rd case this week! Japan needs to do something about this to prevent it from continuing!

They need to ask her why did she do this and use what she said to take steps to prevent this from happening again! This is happening way too often!

0 ( +1 / -1 )

More education around the baby hatch! There is no need to dump babies near rivers.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Did the baby die? It says it was found in a canel with 20cm of water but doesn't mention if the baby was underwater or had died.

RIP if that is the case.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Im lost for words.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

sir_bentley28Today  10:19 am JST

The infant’s body, with its umbilical cord still attached, was found in a canal with water about 20 cms deep by a passerby 

Is this disgusting act becoming the new trend in Japan? This is like the 3rd case this week! Japan needs to do something about this to prevent it from continuing!

They need to ask her why did she do this and use what she said to take steps to prevent this from happening again! This is happening way too often!

-1( +0 / -1 )

I enjoy how 1 specific person goes through all my posts and just downvotes everything I say even though it makes pure sense just because she disagrees with the fact that I have an opinion which differs from theirs. There is no reason to disagree with my comment and not the others.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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