73-year-old woman arrested for killing disabled 49-year-old son

These stories are always so sad. We know the family has had to deal with a lot, and the mother, at a ripe old age, had probably just had enough and also could not care for her son anymore.

Still, murder is murder — part of why the story is sad. She should go to prison.

Yeah, it’s a sad scenario that repeats itself over and over again in Japan. However, the saddest thing is, these people have very few alternatives to being full time carers of ailing relatives. I know so many people who are just waiting for their ailing or disabled relative to die so they can get their life back. It must be very difficult to kill one’s own son. The mental anguish and burden must have been enormous.

What a gloomy tale ...

In principle, I agree with SiJ's last sentence, but I still think it's a really tough call.

I'm honestly not sure anyone (other than "Justice") would be served by locking her up ...

I suspect that no one in this tragic story has suffered more from this act than has this poor woman for whom Life has not been kind. It may be my racist prejudice, but a Japanese mother killing her own child seems beyond anything I can possibly imagine in desperation. How many times has the 'train platform' impulse been in her mind, the 'high place' or 'charcoal' or 'rail crossing' impulse appeared to her? Somehow I can't think deeply about this or I spontaneously sob. What casual horror...

Having a disabled relative to care for is rough and taxing, but this is not 'sympathy for the devil' time. Murder is still murder. There's been plenty of TV movies in America about these so-called 'mercy killings' and the victim 'not suffering pain anymore' but this is still a murder and the mother should go to prison for this. I can't imagine how she could watch him squirm and struggle while strangling him - I don't care what the 'motive' may be, this is barbaric - it's wrong! Put her in the pen!

Somehow I can't think deeply about this or I spontaneously sob. What casual horror...

This is horrible, yet I can't see any justification for it. He didn't ask for it. And it is enough to make you wanna cry.

Heartbreaking no matter which way you look at it.

No winners hear. Tragic and heartbreaking all around.

Some of you have clearly never heard of aggravating or mitigating factors. You also apparently have never heard of the different degrees of murder charges or manslaughter.

I would love to hear your definitions of murder. Perhaps you all are using the layperson definition when you say, "murder is murder."

No coment for me, as we all know how hard to taking care the bedridden for 10 years.

The mother is 73, the son was 49. She was 24 when she had him, 49 years of caring for a disabled child took her youth away. What's supposed to be productive years was confined to looking after her sick child. It's not easy. Certainly not easy to kill you own child whom you looked after and cared for for almost 5 decades.

But regardless of the situation, how can a mother kill her own child?

for those of you who are advocating putting her in prison, i'd like to see you care for a mentally disabled son for for 49 years, and for the last ten years that child was bed-ridden. i'm sure you'd change your mind after a few weeks!

Anyway you look at it, this story is beyond awful.

49 years of caring for someone is a very long time. Strangling another human being takes a lot of fortitude or anger. It's up close and personal as the person struggles, if they are capable.

Chip StarOct. 9 05:26 pm JST49 years of caring for someone is a very long time. Strangling another human being takes a lot of fortitude or anger. It's up close and personal as the person struggles, if they are capable.

That still doesn't justify what she did. The father didn't do it.