A 19-year-old woman who was referred to the family court for her part in the murder of a 17-year-old girl in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, has been sent back to prosecutors.
The woman was referred to the family court on July 3, but was sent back to prosecutors this week by the Asahikawa Family Court which ruled that she should be tried as an adult, Sankei Shimbun reported.
The suspect and another woman, Riko Uchida, 21, have been charged with killing Runa Murayama, a high school girl, on April 19 by forcing her off a bridge into a river. Murayama fell 10 meters from the girder of a suspension bridge into the water in a mountainous area of Asahikawa.
Police say the incident occurred after the victim posted a photo of Uchida on social media without her permission. The two suspects are believed to have threatened Murayama, locked her up in a car and taken her to the bridge. They ordered the victim to take off her clothes, kicked her in the lower back, and made her sit on the railing of a bridge, yelling at her to "fall off" and "die," before she eventually fell.
The victim's body was found downstream of the river in late May after she was reported missing by her relatives on April 22. The cause of death was drowning.
A 16-year-old boy has also been arrested for allegedly threatening Murayama and taking her money on April 18.
© Japan Today/Kyodo
6 Comments
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owzer
Legal age is 18 so try her as an adult. What's so difficult about this?
tjguy
Bullying is a terrible problem here. Shows the dark side of the human heart.
Garthgoyle
A life sentence seems to fit them well; a year or three for the 16 y/o.
Strangerland
Not for criminal charges in Japan.
deanzaZZR
The details are just terrible. RIP Runa Murayama.
Abe234
Normally, I am all for treating some youngsters as young adults. especially when there is a fight, but this had time, and planning and at any time could have stopped, but I guess the two young women egged each other on.
From kidnapping to driving to forcing her to strip, to assault, they could have stopped at any time. and just because she posted something. I am not happy they used the word "FELL" in the article. She did not fall, she was forced. Finally, any one of them could have called an ambulance. Also did any of them go to the police? or did they try to hide it.