A couple in Osaka have been arrested for fraudulently claiming welfare payments for the care of a nine-year-old boy who has been missing since he was one month old, police said Saturday.
The boy's mother reportedly told authorities that the boy was taken by his grandmother on his father's side of the family when he was a month old, NTV reported. However, when city officials found the boy's certificate of residence and questioned the boy's grandmother about him, she reportedly replied that she did not know anything about him and that they had never lived together.
Osaka officials have revealed that the boy's grandparents were arrested on April 12 and are currently being questioned about his whereabouts.
© Japan Today
25 Comments
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sensei258
So they took her baby 9 years ago, and she didn't say anything until now!? Something's not right with this story. I hope she didn't kill the baby and then the grandparents covered up for her in exchange for the money.
Mirai Hayashi
Shouldn't the mother be held too? She could me lying.
nath
I smell a rat.
FightingViking
Grandparents saving up for an "ore-ore" 'phone call ?
Disillusioned
There some very strange, or should I say 'estranged' families on Japan! I hope they find out what happened to the kid. On recent events, checking the wardrobes seems the normal place to start.
Sasoriza
This thing was on the news 2 days ago. The parents divorced, and since the mother couldn't take care of herself and the baby, the father's family paid her hospital fees and took the baby. The baby was registered , but never went neither to kindergarden, nor to school. The officials asked the dad about his son when it was time for the boy to begin school, but with no result. This reminds me of the case some time ago, when the uncle this time gave his nephew for adoption and kept collecting benefits.
choiwaruoyaji
Just hope the child is OK...
kaminarioyaji
Both Mum & the grandparents say "I don't know" when asked about the boy's whereabouts?
I'm afraid to say it's not looking good for the boy's well-being here; poor soul.
tmarie
All she be charged in this. What kind of mother just gives away her kid? What kind of grandparents claim for money? Where on earth is this poor child? I have a feeling not alive.
WilliB
Where is the boy? That question should be more important that who cheated on welfare payments!
Cos
The father is not arrested ?
Mothers that lose custody after a divorce. In Japan, they have no visitation right or anything, no way at all to check what the ex-inlaws and ex-hubby do of the kids. This case shows the inconvenient of the system. Maybe that will make the J-lawmakers think and reconsider.
tmarie
Losing your kid in custody is not the same as giving it away because you can't be bothered to raise him or her.
jonobugs
Taken by his grandmother is not the same thing as giving your baby away. Of course the mother would not be able to financially take care of her baby if she just got divorced and had the baby for only one month. I'm sure she was still in the middle of recovering. The grandparents should have been deeply ashamed of their horrible actions. Now, the big question is WHERE is the baby now? It seems that something nefarious happened a long time ago...
Herve Nmn L'Eisa
Sasoriza, thank you for adding some pertinent information that was missing from the article itself. The real question is where is the boy?
jigjapan
The government too did not check the childs whereabouts for 9 years? I think it should be check ones a year if the person intended for welfare still alive or not. Giving tax payers money to unworthy receiver.
Tahoochi
Wait a minute, some of you are blaming the government and the mother, but the article states the child went to the father's parents, so shouldn't the father take most of the blame here? Not checking up on your child who was taken in by your own parents for 9 years?!?!
cwhite
it's obviously a lie that you haven't been in contact with your own parents who took in your child for 9 years. My guess is the baby died, they buried it and have been receiving welfare money since. Can't say much for the mother either, she probably didn't know, but still 9 years??
GW
Clearly this shud be about the missing boy! But I dont think we are going to like the ending, hoping I am wrong................omg!
Ms. Alexander
So why did it take 9 years for people to notice he's been missing? Correct me if I"m wrong but elementary school is mandatory. He wasn't going to school yet no one at cityhall questioned his whereabouts when he was 6 (first grade)?
tmarie
Of course the mother would not be able to financially take care of her baby if she just got divorced and had the baby for only one month. "Of course"??? Is that a joke? Plenty of single and divorced mothers out there are able to take care of themselves financially a month after giving birth.
I don't think the government should be handing money out to anyone who doesn't get their butt to city hall to prove they are alive and who they say they are. MILLIONS of yen are being wasted with this crap. Between this, the pensions, welfare...
Nessie
Unlike fathers that lose custody?
602miko
poor old fellows. feel sorry for them. but that mother where the hell she is after a very long 9 years?
PT24881
Any computerized link among various govt depts to locate if the child actually lives in a district, his/ her school, social security reference, health care record.. ?
darkwolf15455
Why didn't the mother call the cops right when they took her child