A 22-year-old woman was arrested Monday for the alleged murder of her infant son 16 days after he was born. According to police, Nagasaki City resident Shoko Hamamoto is suspected of murdering her infant son by covering his nose and mouth and suffocating him around 6 a.m.
Police said Hamamoto has admitted to the charge. She was quoted by police as saying she did it because "I had gotten tired of raising him, and did it impulsively because I was depressed thinking about my future."
At the time of the incident, the boy's father was out of the house. He discovered his son's body when he arrived back home and notified the local fire department.
Some time before the murder, Hamamoto had approached her parents and told them she was feeling anxiety about raising the child, police said.
© News reports
38 Comments
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fairyprince
Glanced over that a bit too briefly and read 16-YEAR-old son.
ilcub76
After 16 days? Might want to check her for Attention Deficit Disorder.
IchyaWarFare
This is just sad. Not sure if her parent's did not understand that she was trying to reach out to them. Did her husband not see any signs? But to kill your own son...I do not know why she could not give him to someone or asked for help better. RIP little one.
societymike
Is'nt this an unfortunately somewhat common disorder? Like "post natal depression" that some mothers get?
griff
yup
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postnatal_depression
RandomTask
She probably has mental problems.
wontond
She got tired after 16 days?!?! I hope she get's more depressed thinking about her future in jail and off's herself.
The_True
16 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!! you get tired on 16 DAYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
MY GOD THIS PEOPLE DON'T HAVE NO HUMANITY!!!!!
fishy
16 days ! you gotta be kidding..
IchyaWarFare
Here is another good link on Postpartum depression/psychosis.
http://www.womensmentalhealth.org/specialty-clinics/postpartum-psychiatric-disorders/?gclid=CNis9OuotpsCFdMtpAodmWnlAQ
Disillusioned
So, after 16 days she'd had enough? Well, her future is set now, isn't it?
ratpack
She'll have more than 16 days to think about how selfish she was during her prison term. OMG some people aren't meant to have children and she was one of them but how sad that the angel was only here to experience life for 16 days. RIP
saborichan
So sad when you think the kid might have lived a happy, healthy long life. If the child was highly disabled or the mother had been given some concrete reason to expect ongoing hardship, I could understand the depression, but this just seems so hasty an action.
I'm sure hormonal imbalances after birth mess with a person a lot.
norinrad21
some people just don't get it
sensei258
her infant son 16 days after he was born, “I had gotten tired of raising him. So Sad. Even more sad, with a good lawyer she will get a suspended sentence for having "post-partem depression"
Apsara
Postnatal depression/psychosis can be a pretty serious disorder. While it doesn't excuse what she did at all, she was probably feeling pretty desperate.
TokyoGas
16-days-old??!!!
OneForAll
Where are the pro-choice folks? Really, the caregiver should be given a bit more respect for the work they do. No money and no time. I might suggest giving a monthly stipend to play with. Could afford even a baby sitter for a night out. Husbands working all the time is also an issue that the government in Japan is trying to address for new families. Grandparents were nearby as well. Pretty lame excuse.
boboh
Pathetic, shameful. Poor, defenceless little baby. No excuses for this, no matter what all the liberal do-gooders say. Just gave our 9-m-o a big hug and kiss, and the missus.
jackfish
Japan does pay parents a monthly stipend. It isn't huge, but enough to pay for a sitter a couple times a month.
Not sure where you're going with that one. Odd association.
kirakira25
I had horrendous post natal depression with my second, and I have since recovered and done a lot of work with women similarly suffering. You are not in your right frame of mind, that is absolutely true, but in my experience rarely does post natal illness (we're not allowed to call it "depression" anymore!) lead to infanticide without other underlying issues. This girl obviously had problems before she even had the child.
buggerlugs
Deity of choice!! String her up!! String the grandparents up for not stepping in!! 16 days and this selfish monster gets tired!! Learn to use a contraceptive you selfish sleezebag. RIP little angel. My tears are for you.
OneForAll
Thanks for the info jackfish. 17 days before it would have been choice what she did. Totally legal. Now it is murder. Perhaps it always is taking of a life, legal or not.
buggerlugs
Ok. I think it is time to introduce a test for parenthood, not just in japan but worldwide!! I hope she does decide life is too tough while in jail and take appropriate action. To the next selfish person out there: if u want rid of your child the buggerlugs family will gladly take them in!! We all ready have 3 kids under the age of 5 so we know what tough is, and we cherish every smile, every single day is a blessing. So if your tired let us know.
cleo
Not in Japan, it wouldn't. Abortion after the child is potentially viable (legally set at the end of the 22nd week) is totally illegal.
A 22-year-old left alone to care for a new-born. Not a good idea. Most can cope of course, but it's hard. She should have gone home to her mum for the birth, and stayed there until she felt she could manage. Poor baby.
maryhinge
Were the police not available?
OneForAll
God Bless you buggerlugs. Make sure the children learn English. When high school comes around, it is a financial whammy in Japan. From day one the parents are told to save, save, save...Another unneeded pressure on the poor Mom. I am considering seriously of taking the children back to the states for high school where the burden is shared by society at large (Everyone contributes). I have three children as well, and can see 100,000 USD going toward high school, and that is after taxes (rather save it for college ). Perhaps this girls parents just had no life to pay for her education. Yes, she was selfish and it is a real sad state of affairs when children are looked at as a financial burden. The US is a lot more humane in this regards.
I can really see a backlash coming in Japan to the older generation who cares not for the next generation in financial terms. Why should those children pay for those people who chose to live the good life and not have children to support them in old age? Because of the incentives of society? I think that is probably a good excuse. I just hope there are enough children to take on the burden of the older generation and that the laws change swiftly to support struggling families.
Jkanda
Why? was she worried that she will not be able to enjoy her youth a little bit more, 'cos the baby would be a bother? yes, where were the parents of the woman or some other relative or friend? There are many like buggerlugs family in the world. Damn, isn't there some way to stop these stupid killings? I will volunteer to make people aware of some important things in life, like not to kill babies, step in and help stupid young ones who cannot take responsibility of their acts.
cleo
I imagine he phoned 119 first, which is fire and ambulance. The police is 110.
Den Den
RIP little one. Japan needs to move on from the token "baby hatch", and move onto more radical and effective measures to protect the family in society. She clearly(mummy) needed help, but it wasn't anywhere on the horizon.
Apsara
"17 days before it would have been choice what she did. Totally legal."
This was an odd comment. In which countries can you legally abort a full-term baby? Definitely not here.
jkoffman
6am Tuesday she killed the child, so the father wasn't home. hmm, OK...
cleo
The article doesn't say he wasn't 'at home', it says he was 'out of the house'. Could have been working in the garden, taking the rubbish out, nipped down to the conbini to buy a newspaper, walking the dog, anything. Or he could have been working night shift. According to the vernacular newspapers the father phoned 119 at around 8:50 in the morning.
OhioDonna
She had gotten tired of rearing him after only 16 days! Give me a break!
Cynthia
That point blank post pardom(??? not sure how to spell it) depression. Don't they have special help for mothers like that?
buggerlugs
In japan, in my experience, there is basically no help. Of course there's the doctors visit at the hospital but usually granny is expected to step up and help the first 2 months or so. Many mothers become almost recluse during the first 6 months because they don't go out, meet friends etc. For mrs buggerlugs many of her so called friends wouldn't even contact her during the first year of first little one because they thought she'd be stressed by seeing them. Personally I thought this codswallop and the very thing a new mothr needs is friends around to lighten the mood.
fishy
my parents live far away and they were not with me when i had my babies, but the first several months while i was on maternity leave, i had met other moms with little babies and it was nice sharing information and etc.
sure i was tired with not much help (husband leaves home around 6am for work and doesnt come home till 6pm) and sleepy, but to think about actually killing your baby is not right.. moms should seek some sort of help before getting to that point... i wish this mom had a girl friend who would have been willing to baby sit for even a few hours to give the mom a little rest because i always tell friends who are expecting or just had a baby that i'd be happy to babysit for a few hours.. i enjoy taking care of little ones and moms can get some sleep or maybe go out for a coffee and etc...
women should go out more while being pregnant and meet other prego moms to make a network before baby arrives.. maternity swimming, yoga, all sorts of classes are available in almost every city. NETWORK is important.
nath
10 years ago, I've lost my 4 year old son by cancer, so i'm always feeling extremly raged to read about such cases. For me, there is no reason to think about her. Just get her to prison forever...