Japan Today
crime

21-yr-old mother, friend arrested for starving baby son to death

29 Comments

Police in Miyakonojo, Miyazaki Prefecture, said Saturday they have arrested a 21-year-old woman and her 21-year-old girlfriend, with whom she lived. for allowing her 5-month-old baby son to starve to death.

According to police, the child's mother, Ayaka Washinosu, and her girlfriend, Sayano Kokonobira, left their apartment for several days earlier this month, leaving their 5-month-old son Taishi, and his 2-year-old brother in the apartment with no food or anyone to look after them, TV Asahi reported Saturday.

Upon returning to the apartment on June 17, Taishi was found dead after having starved to death, while his brother somehow managed to survive. Police said Taishi's body weighed only three kilograms when he was found.

Neighbors who lived next to the house told reporters that they heard some children crying in the house at night.

Police said the children's father did not live with the family.

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

29 Comments
Login to comment

I hope they both starve to death in prison

14 ( +15 / -1 )

I hope they're both charged with murder rather than negligence (abandonment) resulting in death.

13 ( +14 / -1 )

Neighbours heard some children crying in the house at night....

And did nothing.

14 ( +18 / -4 )

neighours did nothing,,,,,,So sad RIP

4 ( +8 / -4 )

And did nothing.

My neighbor has a 6-month old who, when she cries, sounds like she's screaming bloody murder. Every time. Is the mother abusing her? No. The mother's a nice woman with two older boys and she looks after the kids diligently.

Children cry. Small babies especially. But condeming the neigbors for not having x-ray vision along with a prescient awareness that Crying Child = Abandonment is unfair. Barring other information, such as the two year old trying to escape the apartment or calling for help, the blame for this lies squarely on the shoulders of these two horribly selfish women.

13 ( +17 / -5 )

Doesn't get much more evil than this. An innocent toddler and a baby being intentionally and slowly killed by their mother. Disgusting and disgraceful.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

What a couple of slime balls...poor kids...hope the older child finds a family who loves him.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I usually don't comment on the crime related articles, but this one just does me in. Absolutely horrible and unforgivable.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Disgusting, I had to read it twice could not believe a human would knowingly do this.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Again? Young Japanese need some special education about child rearing and the government had better start spending on it. Maybe instead of the endless commercials on TV, an educational spot about the subject could register in the minds of some of these souls.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

In the US if there is any hint of a child being abused ANYONE can call anonymously and Child Human Services will be there the same day or the very next day! Neighbors can say anything or anyone and you won't know who reported it!

0 ( +2 / -2 )

I read this many times and so sad that this two child suffered this kind of death..i cant say say anything,unbelievable this thing could happen...kanashii****

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Probably few months in Jail then out ... !!!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I admit I'm curious. What does "girlfriend" mean here?

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Makes my blood boil. Also the neighbours.... what were these buffoons thinking? A knock on the door asking if they can help is too much bother?

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

You always hear about neighbours eager to comment to the press about how they heard and/or suspected something, but you never hear about the media or the law asking them why they did nothing? This is CONSTANT in Japan, and sick!

Sicker still, of course, is what the mother and her girlfriend did, and I hope they take that into consideration while rotting in prison for at least a decade. But knowing the law here, they'll probably get next to nothing because the older child is still alive and 'needs his mother'.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

I'm getting depressed more and more each week when I see this kind of news. I'm sitting here trying to think, I was 21 once, I'm a 32 year old father now. At 21 there are lots of irresponsible people (I was one but I knew what having a kid meant at least), but just what kind of mindset does one at that age have to leave a 5 month baby alone for several (insert sad expletive here) days? It makes me want to cry. Do they consciously think "I've had enough, I just can't take it anymore so instead of dealing with the situation I'll just leave them for a few days to let the problem sort itself out?" or is it more cold-blooded and they just want their own child to die without getting their hands dirty so to speak. I know the only one who knows the answer is the mother. God I feel like that title shouldn't be used for someone so evil. End of sad depressing rant.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

If you can't love your own child, you can't love anyone. And then you're beyond repair.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It's too bad people cannot comprehend the consequences of one's actions. I suggest that photos of both children taken on the day they were found by authorities cover every inch of both witches' jail cell walls, floor and ceiling from the moment they arrive till the day they are discharged so they are reminded every moment their eyes are open to the consequences of their actions.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I admit I'm curious. What does "girlfriend" mean here?

That's right. The word "girlfriend" is generally not used in a news article unless it means lover. Are you talking about her friend?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What does "girlfriend" mean here?

It's written it's the mother's "domestic partner". Whatever their relations, that was an adult living in the house, and she has let the kids starve too.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Police said the children’s father did not live with the family.

I wonder what he was doing while his children were being left to starve.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Jack SternJUN. 22, 2014 - 10:42AM JST Again? Young Japanese need some special education about child rearing and the government had better start spending on it>

I agree Jack. Without government intervention, how else would young couples know that starving children could lead to severe malnutrition, or in this case, death?

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Without government intervention, how else would young couples know that starving children could lead to severe malnutrition, or in this case, death?

There is compulsory education. The 2 KNEW well they had to feed the kids, and even give them extended care, be with them 24/24 or ask someone else to relay. Like the guys that rob a bank know well that's not legal.

A knock on the door asking if they can help is too much bother?

Easy to say. We don't know the background of the family. There are neighbors you just avoid for your own safety. Besides, as others said, some babies cry a lot, often... and they cry the same way for colics and growing teeth or for being left starving, and the cries from this flat were probably nothing unusual. You wouldn't go to check your next door every night.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Another sad day for Japan. This kind of news really makes my day sad. Since I also have a son, I can't imagine if this happened to my child. How could they do this to their own blood. I hope the government will make a law to avoid this kind of unacceptable doings.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@stingrae

You don't think there's already a law against child neglect?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@LFRAgain I have a neigbour with a baby and it cries but i guess these kids would cry the whole day and if that happens i would at least check.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@lucabrasi

I mean to say a better law that could change this cases. We know that they have strict laws preserving and prolonging their lives here just like strict driving laws ( drunk driving etc..) for people's safety, following their diets to become healthy. In general they want to live longer and increase their population, but on the other end they are losing life because of the parents negligence.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So tragically sad to learn how young Japanese mothers abandon their toddlers without any guardian to look after them...leading to imminent death !! My thoughts and prayers goes out to their families !!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites