Husband, wife go on trial for fatally abusing their 2-year-old daughter

A 26-year-old man and his 26-year-old wife pleaded guilty to fatally abusing their 2-year-old daughter at the opening session of their trial at the Wakayama District Court on Thursday.

Haru Taira, a former construction worker, and his wife, Nanami, are charged with abusing their daughter Runa between the autumn of 2024 and early July 2025, and failing to provide her with necessary medical treatment, resulting in her death, NTV reported.

The court heard that on the morning of July 10, 2025, Nanami called 119, and said her daughter was suffering from heatstroke and not breathing.

At the hospital, doctors noticed bruises on Runa's body and a cut on her chin. Nanami told the hospital that Runa had suffered bruises because she had fallen off a jungle gym a week earlier.

Runa died later that day. The cause of death was traumatic shock. A CT scan performed on her also revealed a fractured jaw, and the hospital notified the police.

Runa weighed approximately 6 kg, about half the average weight for a 2-year-old.

Police said both parents told them they didn't take Runa to a hospital for fear of being suspected of abuse.

They also admitted that they did not provide her with enough food, and hit her in the face and head, police said.

Regarding the jaw injury, Nanami told police she slammed Runa into the floor.

In their statement, prosecutors pointed out that the couple used Runa as an "outlet for stress," subjecting her to abuse.

© Japan Today