crime

83-year-old man arrested for wife’s murder refuses food; dies in hospital

15 Comments

An 83-year-old man who was arrested earlier this month for stabbing his wife to death, has died in a hospital in Ogawamachi, Saitama Prefecture, where he was treated for malnutrition.

Seiichi Kunisaki was arrested on Feb 5 after he had attempted a murder-suicide, which left his wife Kyoko, 77, dead and himself seriously injured with knife wounds. At the time of his arrest, Kunisaki told police that he was worn out from nursing his wife, who had Alzheimer’s disease, and had wanted to end their lives together.

Following his arrest, Kunisaki has been continuously avoiding eating, which made the police take him to a hospital a total of three times in February, NTV reported. He was hospitalised on Feb 17, where he was treated for malnutrition, but he continued to refuse food, and died on Tuesday.

Kunisaki had remained silent during interrogations following his arrest and had also refused to explain his food abstinence. He was put on a drip.

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15 Comments
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Tragic. Alzheimers carers can feel really isolated.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Sad story indeed! Where is the love and support for this especially vulnerable group of people? RIP to this couple.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

So sad....

3 ( +4 / -1 )

So sad... damn, it hurt my eyes.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

This old man had nobody to help him!

Probably slaved away all his working life and payed his taxes.

Like all of us waiting for the day he can retire and enjoy country walks and a bit of fishing.

Instaed he finds he must care for his sick wife for the rest of their days together.

Who wouldn't want an out?

Abandoned…YES ABANDONED by the state.

Now dead and labeled as a criminal in the crime section.

Wouldn't treat a dog this way.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

"abandon" would imply that the state was there in the first place. but i'm not sure what the govt should do in these cases. if the gov't had to care for every individual with degenerative brain disease, it would be bankrupt, which it already is. i really do sympathize for the man but the state is not the solution to every problem.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

It was reported on NHK last night that the old man refused any help from the local government.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

It is suicide anyway. It seems that he himself took responsibility of the murder.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

if the gov't had to care for every individual with degenerative brain disease, it would be bankrupt, which it already is. i really do sympathize for the man but the state is not the solution to every problem.

Its governments responsibility to have a plan for elderly care and care for those with alzeimers, dementia etc. Especially for those who have paid their taxes all their lives. If the government doesnt have a plan then it is not a decent country to live in. These are basics and taxpayers money on elderly care comes way above Olympic bids or yet another new train station.

It was reported on NHK last night that the old man refused any help from the local government.

It was the responsibility of the police and the hospital to save his life and drip feed him. They failed.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

He was hospitalised on Feb 17, where he was treated for malnutrition, but he continued to refuse food, and died on Tuesday.

Well done to the brave man. HUNGER STRIKE is the best way to protest...

0 ( +3 / -3 )

A man of honour ;-;

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Its governments responsibility to have a plan for elderly care and care for those with alzeimers,

First problem here is money. There is simply not enough of it to take care of all elderly people.

Second part is family. Families have always taken care of their own. Always. The idea that the government should do it is an untested 19th-20th century concept.

Third problem, and maybe the biggest, is that the government doesn't care about any individual person's welfare. Never has, never will. Governments are incapable of love. They are cold bureaucracies with interests of their own. Take a look at the government run homes for the elderly that do exist. I'd rather be run over by a truck than spend my last days in an environment like that - devoid of dignity and decency.

The government, as much as they work to brainwash people otherwise, is not a panacea.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

"If the government doesn't have a plan then it is not a decent country to live in." By this definition, notably few countries are... in the US, for example, the final solution is to let market forces decide - and if you can't afford $1000 a week for institutional care, or to pay for home care, you're out of luck.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Said it once, said it a thousand times, do YOU wanna grow old here, this article IS the future & it here NOW, going to get worse, much worse!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Kunisaki told police that he was worn out from nursing his wife, who had Alzheimer’s disease, and had wanted to end their lives together.

Is there no support from their children (if they have one)? He refuses to eat too, such a sad way to end life.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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