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Police in Yokohama have referred to prosecutors the case of a 17-year-old female high school student who jumped from a building and killed herself and a pedestrian walking below.
The charge is gross negligence resulting in death, NHK reported. Police say the girl was old enough to recognize that she could be at risk of hitting pedestrians walking below, and have asked for an indictment to be officially recorded.
The incident occurred on Aug 31. The girl, from Kimitsu City, Chiba Prefecture, jumped from the 12th floor deck of NEWoMan Yokohama, a shopping center directly connected to JR Yokohama Station, just before 6 p.m. She hit a woman, Chikako Chiba, who was walking with three friends.
The two were taken to hospital. The girl died at around 7 p.m., while Chiba, from Midori Ward in Yokohama, died of her injuries at 9:40 p.m.
The scene was crowded with many shoppers at the time.
A glass fence approximately 2.5 meters high has been installed on the rooftop plaza to prevent falls, and based on security camera footage and witness accounts, it is believed that the girl climbed over the fence herself.
Editor: If you or someone you know in Japan are having suicidal thoughts, help is available. Click here for more info.
© Japan Today
24 Comments
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smithinjapan
Sooooo.... what's her punishment going to be if found guilty?
Anyway, I might feel a little sorry for the young woman, but in her absolute cowardice and selfishness she murdered another person. Hope she realized that in her final moments.
Speed
If she's prosecuted and found guilty posthmusly, what exactly would the punishment be? What's the purpose? Wouldn't it just be a waste of taxpayer's money?
Jay
Prosecuting a dead girl is peak government ridiculousness - bureaucrats so obsessed with following their rigid, outdated rules that they’ve completely lost touch with common sense and human decency. Instead of serving justice or protecting the people, Japan’s legal system shows it is nothing more than a cold, unaccountable machine more concerned with its procedures than the lives it impacts. This is what happens when government overreach and a lack of accountability go unchecked - an embarrassing mockery of justice that is an absolute embarrassment.
The_Beagle
It appears as though they are trying to discourage the behavior in a country known for a high suicide rate.
Mr Kipling
Maybe the victim's estate can make a claim against the girls estate. Unlikely that a 17 year old is going to have much wealth. Seems rather pointless, but this is Japan.
Asiaman7
Yes. Waste of time, money, etc. The child “assailant” is dead. The adult victim is dead. Move on.
The Nomad
If it was a case of bullying that resulted in her suicide they should go after the bullies, but knowing this is Japan they allow bullies to be bullies
shogun36
If she's prosecuted and found guilty posthmusly, what exactly would the punishment be? What's the purpose? Wouldn't it just be a waste of taxpayer's money?
I am not for or against the punishment, but one would assume that because she is a minor........was a minor, that her parents or guardians would take the punishment. If there is one.
Whatever that may be.
IDK what the laws are, but wouldn't it be similar to if a teenager were to jump in front of a busy commuter train?
Yubaru
Well she already got the death penalty what else is there? Sadly though it will leave a mark on her and her family for generations.
Bad Haircut
This is the only way such a prosecution would make sense. Maybe because the girl was a minor, her parent/s could be held legally responsible for the damage, or perhaps it could open the way for a claim against the girl's parents' life insurance. Don't know, but it would be interesting to find out where this leads.
Thunderbird2
So someone with obvious mental health kills herself and accidentally kills someone else in the process is to be prosecuted after her death. Are he grieving relatives of the accidentally killed woman going to demand compensation from the grieving parents of the girl who killed herself? Seems rather unsavoury to me
Abe234
I guess this is just another way to punish the 17-year-old parents and family. The girl had no intention of killing anyone else or hurting anyone else. It was a terrible accident. and let's be honest, this makes no sense. Do we need to punish the girl's mother, father, and extended family further?
smithinjapan
Peeps, I don't think punishing the family is going to help here. I mean, what is the family of a potential suicide going to do to try avoid it, guilt them into not doing it -- ie. make them feel horrible about living? Punish them pre-emptively to stop them from committing suicide? The person killing themselves is doing the ultimate calling of a bluff.
What I think they are trying to do here is leave a record on this person's life so that she cannot even be mentioned ever again without shaming those around her in a number of ways. THAT might help prevent it a little -- the idea that in your final act you will isolate yourself posthumously even more than you were in life. That will be your only legacy.
Fighto!
Needless judicial resources being put towards this tragic case. For what? To cause even more trauma and stress to the kids family?
Rest in Peace to the poor girl and the tragically unlucky pedestrian.
Fighto!
Your definition of "murder" is incorrect. There is zero evidence the girl intended to kill this pedestrian.
Robert N
My guess this is so family of dead pedestrian can claim money from her family
Alongfortheride
Well this will certainly harm here future! Somehow I think she does not care
Peter14
How much more stupid can you get, prosecuting the dead. Total waste of resources that could be better spent on other issues with living criminals. Someone needs a demotion!
Michael Corleone
nothing says japan more than this. no wonder the poor girl wanted out.
quite disgusting if you ask me...
shame on you!!
Alongfortheride
I think they are partly correct. First degree murder is premeditated which is what you are thinking. Second degree murder is committing an act knowing that someone could die. Then you step down to manslaughter. This could possibly come under Second degree murder but most certainly manslaughter. But as per my comment above I don't see the point.
Meiyouwenti
“Maybe the victim's estate can make a claim against the girls estate. Unlikely that a 17 year old is going to have much wealth. Seems rather pointless, but this”
The victim’s relatives could instigate a civil action to seize the girl’s “estate” to get compensation. But that’s nothing to do with prosecution of the dead girl.
factchecker
Not much point prosecuting a corpse.
syniksan
Are they going to stick her ashes in the defence dock? How ludicrous.
BertieWooster
So what, are they going to nab her next time around? "In your previous existence as a 17 year old schoolgirl, you committed suicide and killed a pedestrian. I arrest you for this crime!"