A 38-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of killing her 5-month-old daughter at their home in Sammu, Chiba Prefecture, police said Saturday.
According to police, the woman, Noriko Ogawa, called 110 at around 2:45 p.m. Friday and said she had killed her daughter Rino and that she wanted to die together with her, Fuji TV reported. Police rushed to the scene and found Rino unconscious with strangulation marks on her neck. She was taken to hospital where she died shortly after arrival.
Ogawa and her daughter, who lived with her husband in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward, had gone away for a few days' rest at the husband's family home in Sammu.
Ogawa was quoted by police as saying she was worn out from child-rearing.
© Japan Today
49 Comments
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Giveme_abreak
Clearly a post partum depression includes thoughts of harming your self and the baby. Some women who experience this after birth can be very difficult especially when there's no emotional support from family and husband, although some women can snap quickly out of it because of the love and support from friends and family. So husbands out there, even a kiss on the lips and a 5 sec embrace and a thank you can mean a lot to your wife, might be a life changer.
Oh, Pie!
How horrible. This poor woman must have had some kind of mental health issue that went untreated. Rest in peace.
sado001
The government should really put effort to look into the mental health issues of their citizens. It's very common nowadays to hear news of parents killing their own child because of money and "cannot raise my child anymore". This is a serious issue and if the government does not do something about this, it would get worse.
I know that your mental health issues are your own problem, but I think the government must educate the people to at least check if they have mental health issues. A lot of this issues are being not entertained/looked upon.
Haaa Nemui
Thank you Zones.
nath
It offends me too. That's why I always point out the other possibility. To the what an evil woman posters, that means I'm defending the woman's actions. What they don't realize is that it's defending the woman from internet bullying. Maybe the woman is guilty, maybe not, but what can most definitely be said is:
So being conclusive with this little information is irresponsible.
cleo
zones - A very well-written, insightful post. It would be nice if some of the what an evil woman posters tok the time to read it and reflect.
Glad to hear that you and your wife (and the little one) pulled through. Mrs. zones is a lucky lady.
zones2surf
I have stayed quiet since my initial post. However, I must add some more comments, particularly given some of the things that have been said.
It is clear to me that many bring their own experiences and preconceived notions to the table when commenting on this story. And others like it. And make pronouncements about this situation and those involved without having any idea of the facts.
The facts we have are this and only this. A woman strangled her 5 month old daughter to death. We know she was married. We know she was at her in-laws house. Beyond that, we know precious little.
For a few that are commenting, that is enough. That is all they need to know. This woman is lazy, selfish, evil, worthless. It doesn't matter the circumstances. She must be all of those things.
OK, let me be equally blunt. Whoever believes all of those things of all mothers who do this clearly is uninformed, does not want to hear evidence to the contrary, or is letting their own experiences colour their opinions.
My wife and I had a beautiful baby boy nearly 3 years ago. That first year was incredible. I was very fortunate to have been in a position to be at home quite a bit during that time. And here is what I am going to say. Thank goodness I was able to be there. Because I was able to support my wife. And, trust me, she needed it. Not because she was some lazy, selfish, evil, worthless woman, but because she was dealing with things going on hormonally, chemically and mentally following the birth.
On multiple occasions, I saw my wife's demeanour and attitude towards our son change 180 degrees in a period of less than 2 minutes. I cannot explain it, but it went from love and compassion to a visible loathing and contemptuous attitude. Complete disdain. And thank goodness I was there. Because she became someone I did not recognise.
We got through it and my wife is a wonderful, loving mother. I have no doubt that there was stuff going on with her beyond her control. Some women are hard-wired to be mothers, others perhaps aren't. I can tell you this. Having seen what happened with my own wife, anyone that dismisses postpartum depression and other similar things out of hand either has their head in the sand or has had some experience that makes them biased. I am just extremely grateful that I was able to be at home, because it is no longer difficult for me to imagine something terrible happening to young children because of stuff like this.
I am not saying that is what happened here. I do not know. But it offends me that some would be so cavalier in how they characterise this woman in this case without knowing the facts and without knowing the woman.
I find that those that are the harshest critics of these women are men or women that have been mothers. In fact, the latter is often the case. The idea being that “hey, I did it and I didn’t kill my child”.
Everyone is different. Every situation is different. Was this family rich or poor? It matters. I don’t see many rich mothers doing this. What was going on with the husband? How was his behaviour and actions after their daughter was born? Was he working and, if so, was he basically gone all of the time? Was the baby a relatively good baby or a colicky baby? Was the woman breast feeding or not? What support was the mother receiving from her own parents and the in-laws? Does the woman herself have any underlying physical or mental issues? And so on.
All of these things matter. Not necessarily to excuse what she did but to explain it. You see, it is a very different thing to starve your child to death over a period of weeks/months (as in the case reported a few days ago) and to strangle a child in an instant.
I do not excuse her actions and it is a tragedy. But neither may she be all of the things which she has been described as being.
nath
Well there is an excuse, when the person is unable to differentiate between right and wrong. Whether that be the case in this situation is unknown. But an excuse does in fact exist.
ratpack
I don't know the circumstances and I don't know what drove her to do it but I do know that there is 'NO' excuse for murdering a defenseless and helpless 5-month-old child.
Aly Rustom
seriously?
NathalieB
I mostly agree with what you're saying sensei, but I beg to differ on this one! :( !
savethegaijin
@Danny Bloom
We will never know why. This happens regularly in all wealthy advanced nations in North America and Europe. Not in Africa. Not in Middle East. Not in China.
You're right, except for the fact that it happens all the time in the Middle East, in Africa, and especially in China.
I hope you were being facetious.
WilliB
"worn out from child-rearing"
worn-out from "child rearing" after just 5 months with baby (who sleep most of the time anyway).... wtf???
justbcuzisay
I flat out said I have no sympathy for her, but ok.
smithinjapan
justbcuzisay: "How will that help the next baby left alone with a mentally unstable person? Do you think ignoring the factors that led to this will save any babies?"
Sorry, amigo, it's not me that's not unable to listen. I have said time and again society does not do enough, be it in helping these people BEFORE the fact, or by not helping by feeling sorry for them and not claiming they are guilty after. On threats where kids are murdered by moms or by both parents, or the boyfriend, etc., you will ALWAYS see me saying the kids need to have been taken away, and that social welfare failed miserably. On threads where judges let the murdering mother off the hook, or with a slap on the wrist, so that she can go home and be with the other kids she tried to kill as well you hear me scream at the stupidity of it, and the subsequent "I told you so" when she murders the other(s). If you read the Japanese news just now there is a report of another woman who just murdered two of her kids and tried to kill the third in Kanazawa -- another selfish coward who took others' lives because she felt they did not have a future, and of course was GOING TO take her own but did not. Now, one of those kids survived, so how much do you want to bet she'll get a reduced sentence, if anything, so that she can take care of the third, whom she already tried to kill?
THAT is one of the factors many of YOU seem to ignore and put up with, sympathising with these women, and we see again and again the death of more babies and young children. When they show signs that they are going to break, or worse have tried to kill (and succeeded in some cases) and others are still alive, LOCK UP THE WOMEN immediately, in prison or in mental institutions, or both, and take away the children FOREVER.
sensei258
@ Smith - I wonder how many of the pity party would sing a different tune had it been a man who had murdered his kids
justbcuzisay
Smith- You seem to have a huge bias on these topics that makes you unable to listen to what people are really saying. She is responsible, I have no sympathy for her.
How will that help the next baby left alone with a mentally unstable person? Do you think ignoring the factors that led to this will save any babies?
There is no way she did not show signs of being ready to break. People do not turn into murders over night. How many times you suppose she was told to 'ganbatte' and 'ganman?'
sensei258
@ Smith, I'd shake your hand just for your stance on this issue.
smithinjapan
Sensei258: "See what I mean. She strangled a baby girl with her bare hands, and you still want to feel sorry for her. I did all those things for years, including working a full time job, and I still haven't killed anyone."
Exactly! But the pity party will always be here to give sympathy to the mother while claiming to feel bad for those murdered by the selfish, worthless women.
WA4TKG
Well, it's o.k. then, if you were WORN OUT, ....maybe you should have used a CONDOM then...string her up. NEXT !
sensei258
Can't argue with that.
pudus
my Japanese girlfriend had 6 abortions before I met her.
justbcuzisay
People who want to know the signs and how to prevent other babies from dying. That is not forgiving or excusing this mother.
Moderator
Readers, please stop bickering.
sensei258
You may be assuming that I would do something just because you told me to.
Haaa Nemui
Read the last line of what I wrote and then read the comment referred to.
sensei258
If you are talking about her "situation" I agree with you 100%. But what we do know is this...
At some point she went to her baby girl, placed her hands around her tiny neck, and squeezed until she caused her to die. So who gives a flying flip what her situation is.
Haaa Nemui
It was your assumption of her mental condition that I was commenting on, but I'll give it to you that I made an assumption about what she may or may not realise.
And I don't know the details, and neither do you... The difference... You won't admit it.
Justbcuzisay has it exactly right.
sensei258
My last "Exactly" was for cevin.
You accuse me of making assumptions, but that's exactly what you're doing. How can you know what she could/couldn't realize based solely on your assumptions about her mental condition? Of course she had some kind of mental illness to do something so horrible. But don't confuse mental illness with insanity.
enough said
justbcuzisay
It is in no way 'understandable' what this woman did, but for the life of precious babies to come, the factors that lead to these stories must be addressed.
sensei258
Exactly! But so many are looking for excuses that will make the murder "understandable" That,unfortunately, is exactly the mindset the judge will have when he gives her a suspended sentence later. "Ms Ogawa, you've been through a lot. Just please don't kill any more babies"
Haaa Nemui
Yet if she had a mental illness as you agreed before then she probably wouldn't realise the solutions available.
I think that I don't know the situation and neither do you.
cevin7
There must have been multiple choices other than killing her, even when this mother was really beat.
sensei258
No. Like I said, she could have left the child with somebody. Anybody who wasn't going to murder her would have been a good choice. There were other solutions, but she didn't chose one. Or do you think because of her situation was she left with no other choice than murdering her baby?
Danny Bloom
We will never know why. This happens regularly in all wealthy advanced nations in North America and Europe. Not in Africa. Not in Middle East. Not in China.
Haaa Nemui
No. There is nothing to confirm any level of support. Her husband's family home... we have absolutely no idea what the situation was and everything you have said regarding that is just assumption on your part. She may have been having a hell of a time trying to raise the child. We don't know. So quick to judge but so lacking in any solutions. I guess we can't offer a solution when we don't know anything about the particular problem.
sensei258
Apparently, she had support. Apparently, she could have left the child with the family, walked away, and started a new life somewhere else. Apparently, she chose to wrap her hands around the baby's neck and squeeze the life out of her instead. Apparently, she WAS lazy, because she didn't want to do the work. Apparently, she WAS selfish, because she put her self before the needs of her baby. Apparently, she WAS evil, because what she did was certainly harmful and injurious. Apparently, many readers are more concerned with my pot-stirring comments than the murder that was committed.
Haaa Nemui
Enough said.
Charlie the inu
sensei258
So apparently she had some family support. How much "support" would the parent of a 5-month-old baby need? At that age they're sleeping most of the time.
Haaa Nemui
An undeserved lack of support is far worse than undeserved sympathy. The first one can lead to death.
sensei258
That's true, because I have a selfish need to point out that she will receive undeserved-sympathy even though she snuffed out an innocent little angel.
I have to agree with you there.
Disillusioned
Yeah, it's all well and good to get angry or to blame post birth stress, but the thing is, this happens very regularly in Japan and it's always for the same pathetic reason. It's not stress, it's a mental illness that is never addressed.
Haaa Nemui
I agree with Zones. The act is a disgusting and tragic act, but nobody knows the entire circumstances. Name calling to satisfy your own selfish need helps no one and certainly does nothing to rectify the issue in Japan. A good support circle may have saved this kids life but nobody here knows what kind of support this woman had.
sensei258
lazy - averse or disinclined to work activity or exertion
selfish - concerned primarily with one's own interests
evil - harmful or injurious
zones2surf
Ugghhh.
All of us have our preconceived notions when it comes to these incidents. What I always will say is that each of these cases is unique. We have no idea of the circumstances here, other than what the mother ultimately decided to do. Make no mistake, I am no apologist and nothing justifies murdering your own child. However, the key question is "why"? None of us know why. To say she is a "lazy, selfish, evil woman" would imply that one knows this woman personally.
The only thing I do know is that an innocent baby girl is no longer with us. And that is just tragic. Rest in peace, little one. A life cut short.
DenTok2009
I wonder what would have helped Ogawa. A mother/mother-in-law to help her out? One of my neighbors was married to a woman who upon graduating college didn't work (good thing her father was a good provider) until years later she met and married him. She was well into her 30's - set in her ways and not used to living within her means - so she was worn out from caring for the baby while he was working and was enraged when he came home expecting a hot meal and playtime with their baby. The woman didn't do as Ogawa did but I'm just guessing the Ogawa went along with expectations; marry and have babies without really having a need to take care and raise little ones. Armchair psychologist session over.
sensei258
See what I mean. She strangled a baby girl with her bare hands, and you still want to feel sorry for her. I did all those things for years, including working a full time job, and I still haven't killed anyone.
sensei258
Lazy, selfish, evil woman. Worn out after raising a child only five months? If you feel like killing your child, give her/him to us, we have love to spare. We've raised kids and grand kids and never felt the need to murder them. No doubt the sympathy parade will start with talk of post partum depression.