crime

43-year-old woman arrested over death of 3-year-old foster daughter

23 Comments

Police said Saturday they have arrested a 43-year-old woman in connection with the death of her 3-year-old foster child on Aug 24 last year. Police said the girl -- identified as Miyuki Watanabe -- was found at the foot of a spiral staircase in the Suginami apartment block in which she lived. She was taken to hospital, but was pronounced dead 90 minmutes later.

According to a TBS news report, the girl's foster mother, who is a voice actress, initially told police that she had fallen. However, after hospital staff found bruises on the girl's head and body that were not consistent with a fall, police began to interview third parties in an attempt to build a case against the woman.

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23 Comments
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Another little one we were powerless to protect, the revulsion i feel for the foster mother is beyond measure if in fact the investigation proves she is responsible for the childs suffering and death.I wonder what checks are carried out in Japan by child welfare as to the wellbeing and care of little ones in the fostering system?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Yet another subhuman SCUM murdering a defenseless child. I hope this woman feels overwhelmed by guilt and haunted by this little girl's face night after night.

I UTTERLY HATE Child Murderers. A cockroach is human compared with these "people".

RIP baby girl Miyuki -_-;

0 ( +3 / -3 )

However, after hospital staff found bruises on the girl’s head and body that were not consistent with a fall,

Strange bruises in her head and body? Accident my @ss.

I have a 3 year old daughter(#3 of 4) and looking at her, I can't stop thinking the possible pain and suffering this little girl went through at the hands of that woman. Being pregnant with another little girl, my heart aches horribly.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Can't trust the parents. Can't trust the government to choose proper foster parents. Can't trust foster parents. Who the heck can you trust?

Cases like this are why I am leary of giving the government exceptional powers to take kids away from their own parents.

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BlueWitch; Calm down dear. It is very sad and as an expectant mother it obviously makes you more angry than most of us. We have to see first the whole story and see if there is any mental health problems involved. Were injuries noticed on teh child before? Without ample evidence i am slow to judge until the eveidence is shown.

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@Steve

I'm afraid that this story just like the 95% of the related Child/Abuse/Murder cases always end up being true. It's very sad that even if I want to feel some doubt, I know in the bottom of my heart that I can't. From what I've been reading in the local papers, this woman is not telling the whole truth which is why the cops are all over her in this investigation. Sorry but it's very difficult to "calm down" when a young innocent child is killed like this.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

enough with these dumb as people abusing kids and murdering them..., If you can't raise a child properly give it to someone who wants a child and will love them, You should have a license to have a child, I don't understand why parents smack kids in the head when they do anything small wrong or whatever, their brain are still developing, throw her in Jail for ever and throw away the key, I feel so bad of any child suffering this abuse and feel their pain,

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Oh PS, She is a voice actress...I HOPE SHE HEARS THE LITTLE GIRLS VOICE, SCREAMS AND CRIES IN HER HEAD EVERY FIRKIN SECOND..

1 ( +2 / -2 )

Here is a bio and picture of the evil biatch.... http://www.waseda.jp/student/weekly/english/people/e066p.html

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Unfortunately, this isn't a new tale. There are some pretty evil folk out there abusing kids. I've heard of a few cases that have ripped my heart out. One in England a couple of years ago was just unfathomable. I met a man who lost his wife and three kids, aged 5 and under, in the tsunami. Life is so precious. Some people don't seem to be able to grasp that concept. Yes. My lot do drive me to the edge sometimes. I've never hurt them. They are my little rays of sunshine. They have made my life that much more richer. To the parents out there, the ones who resent their kids, the ones who can't be bothered to nurture and protect their little ones- I'd take them. There are thousands of couples out there who would gladly take your child into their hearts and give them all the love and security that every child so rightly deserves. Hugs at you Bluewitch.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Jayden LovettAug. 20, 2011 - 09:17PM JST

.I HOPE SHE HEARS THE LITTLE GIRLS VOICE, SCREAMS AND CRIES IN HER HEAD EVERY FIRKIN SECOND..

No way. That might be like music to the ears of our Mommy Dearest here. The silence of a long time in solitary confinement would be more to my liking.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Of course, the immediate anger goes towards the monster responsible for the little girl's death, but the anger should be directed at a society that creates these monsters and a public health system that ignores them.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

@Disillusioned

Of course, the immediate anger goes towards the monster responsible for the little girl's death, but the anger should be directed at a society that creates these monsters and a public health system that ignores them.

I agree with you 100%. Well said, sir.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

This is just awful. I just hope the evil child abuser and killer is put to death - if the charges are proven. Abusing and killing a defenceless child means you no longer have any freedoms - including the right to live - in my books.

Rest in Peace to the little angel.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I just wish no children ever have to suffer anymore, but it will never happen.

The child was a foster child. What steps were taken to check up on the woman. It is all so terribly sad.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I'll never understand why she took in a foster child when she's unable to give the same love to a foster child as she would give to her own children. Other foster parents are perfectly capable of doing this.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Steve. Don't worry about minuses, I get plenty of them. But the reason I'd give you a minus is that you seem critical of people so often but then every time someone kills someone or does something REALLY terrible, you are the first to jump in and worry about their mental health and defend them from attacks.

I think if one of your loved one's was killed or maimed it would be harder to be so worried about whether the viscous thug was getting the proper treatment.

Some people are mental ill for sure .. but some people just do rotten things. If what you're saying is true then I think the govt needs to do nationwide mental health checks. Of course, we'd only get the results five months later..

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It's quite natural to feel anger towards the actual person or persons who hurt and kill children. I have close friends who survived horrendous abuse as children. They, themselves are now parents. They wouldn't dream of inflicting the same on their offspring. Exemplary parents. Along life's merry pathway, we each have choices on how we decide to live our lives and treat others. It's too simplistic to blame everything on society and quite frankly, a bit of a cop out.

However, I strongly believe that stricter laws should be implemented for those that abuse children AND for those who didn't actually perpetrate the abuse but knew it was going on. If you witnessed abuse but did sod all about it, you condoned it, you should feel the weight of the law too. As for Child Social Services staff who don't do their job...

These days, communities seem to lack cohesion. The extended family is becoming a thing of the past. Less folk acting as human safety nets against such acts as child abuse. Throw in job insecurity, financial woes and other life stresses that research has shown to increase child abuse rates.

I could never hurt any child, let alone one of my own. If ever you see something that concerns you regarding a child, please report it. You might just save that kid's life.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I could never hurt any child, let alone one of my own. If ever you see something that concerns you regarding a child, please report it. You might just save that kid's life.

Hear Hear~ (^o^)

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Most likely this woman had the same treatment as a child, bad parents, society and the accussed's neanderthal behavior are to blame here - NO to child abuse!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Another stupid adult that never ever should have been allowed to be near children!!! RIP little girl and this I won't even waste my time mentioning the adult monster because I know the moderator won't approve of my adjectives.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I'm giving a thumbs up to steve@CPFC for his two comments above.

All I'm reading here is

Police said they have arrested a 43-year-old woman in connection with the death of her 3-year-old foster child

1 ( +1 / -0 )

JT Mods, is it normal practice in Japanese journalism to hide the names of people arrested in connection with a crime? The articles here show a reluctance in naming people who have been arrested in certain cases. If they were just being questioned, I could understand a certain amount of anonymity, but once arrested I would think their name would become a matter of public record.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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