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A man was sentenced to 12 years in prison for starving his 2-year-old son to death last year at their home in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture.
According to the ruling, Yuzo Kosaka, 29, and his wife Satomi, 39, failed to provide enough food for their son Soshi, resulting in his eventual death from starvation at the age of 2 years and 10 months, TV Asahi reported.
Prosecutors told the court that at the time of his death, Soshi had weighed less than half the average for a boy of his age. They also said that Soshi had suffered from an intestinal obstruction after eating hair and paper from his diaper, TV Asahi reported.
The boy's parents were charged with parental negligence resulting in death. Satomi Kosaka was sentenced to 7 years in prison in an earlier trial. She had pleaded guilty to the charge. Her lawyer told the court that emotionally and psychologically, she was being controlled by her husband, 11 years her junior, and that as such, she was unable to seek advice from childcare professionals.
© Japan Today
37 Comments
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602miko
oh GOD! are this people human for starving their little boy to death!
Mirai Hayashi
I TOTALLY agree. I really don't understand why these sentences are so lenient! WHY. They TORTURED a small child to death and this is all they get? Realistically, they should have at least gotten 25 to life. This is why these crime happens so often in Japan. Either the get suspended or very lenient sentences.
Apsara
Agree with billyshears- I don't think people consider the punishment before committing this kind of crime or that it would make any difference, it's not a bank robbery.
billyshears
So this guy thought "I'm only going to get 12 years, so I'm going to starve my kid to death" ??? What he did was a reflection of his total inhumanity. I don't think these kinds of monsters rationally consider future sentences when making a decision to slowly starve their children to death.
PT24881
R.I.P. .. Cannot believe such parents are allowed to bear baby !
tmarie
HIniku, why try and make an issue of something that isn't an issue in this case? Isn't it horrific enough for you?
Hiniku
This is one of the saddest stories I've read in awhile.... but I shutter to think about how the press would have handled this if the Father was not Japanese but married to a Japanese women. I could be totally wrong but it seems that anytime a Gaijin commits a major crime it seems to be pasted everywhere. Either way.... only a 12 year sentence for a slow torturous death to a child of that age does not fit the crime period.
buggerlugs
Shame on you Japan. This is sickening. They should get life!! RIP little one. I don't even want to imagine the pain of this kid.
mitoguitarman
Disgustingly lenient sentence!
Maitake
because it's Japan
Speed
NOT ENOUGH TIME.
cl400
Every time I read an article from the crime section of this website I shake my head in disbelief. What bothers me the most is how good Japan is at making the world believe it's such a peaceful, innocent, safe country. Japanese people are great at perfecting something but when there is ever a negative situation everyone turns a blind eye. Crimes like this need serious attention and I still believe this country needs more education, support, etc for people with problems. The first step is getting people to forget the word 'shame' and just admit to a problem. Meh, sorry for my rant. Very sorry for the young boy who lost his life in such a painful, sad way. And for his mother. I am sure this wont be the last time we read about something like this.
WilliB
They are guilty of murder. Why do they get off so lightly?
Waxman
I always imagine reading these kind of news, are there not so many orphange in Japan? Japanese government has so much money to donate to Myanmar or buy those Senkaku rocks, but no money or ideas to do for kids like this baby?? Open ur eyes!! Japan is running out of population and you need to save these babies!! RIP baby!!
multitasker
MONSTERS!!! I REALLY wish theyd let that guy starve to death in prison. I cant imagine the agony the child went through....
kdotson1965
They should both get life in my opinion
Ewan Huzarmy
They should both get 20 and live on a diet of hair and nappy liner paper , to experience the last days of their poor kid's miserable life.
A Canadian
7 and 12 years for murder...wtf???
tmarie
Because she's the mom?? I don't know. I find it sickening to think seven year for the life of an innocent child.
smithinjapan
tmarie: "Until Japan stops handing out pathetically light sentences to parents, the killings will continue. That poor child."
12 years is a lot better than some of the sentences these SOBs get, but I agree it is still too light. And why did the woman get a lighter sentence?
Thunderbird2
Poor little sod... RIP.
This is a disgusting act, and for the woman to say she was being controlled... was she locked up in the house unable to leave? She could have taken the little one and legged it.
Sad and shocking.
avigator
Where is the love? They have food for themselves but not for the poor creature.
nath
Poor kid. That's all I can say. And I understand the woman who was being controlled. I know how that feels. To plead guilty, she must truly feel the loss of being responsible for the death of her own son.
BurakuminDes
PS - just another thought: if a salaryman here was sadistically tortured and murdered, you can be guaranteed that the murderers would get more than 7 and 12 years. They'd cop 20-25. Japanese judges are disgusting and all out of touch.
BurakuminDes
Said it before, sadly have to say it again: Who is looking after the kids of Japan? These two maggot child abusers/killers will have their freedom in the 40s. Disgusting.
Rest in Peace away from these scum who tortured you, Soshi-kun.
Sonia Allen
They deserve a starvation sentence too, to see how it feels. Poor Baby may you be in a better place, resting in peace.
oikawa
tmarie
I agree with you! The sentences should be much higher. And aside from being hypnotized how can you be controlled emotionally and psychologically by someone to the extent that it makes you neglect feeding your own kid and knocks 5 years off the sentence someone who committed the same crime got? She's a mentally competent adult or she isn't surely, and if she isn't she should be in hospital.
tmarie
Until Japan stops handing out pathetically light sentences to parents, the killings will continue. That poor child.
the-grouch
Should be this harsh for mothers killing their kids too. Why just male parents? This is bias and complete unfair law practice.
nath
Poor little guy was abandoned and aborted.
May he rest in peace.
megosaa
i know most kids especially that young til they get to about 8-10y.o. need to be force fed as they do not know the meaning of "hungry"! even if they are full i make sure my boys have their "last spoonful" ...for the 5th time.
ratpack
we can only hope that at the prison they are going to there someone who will swipe their food away from them every chow time........we can only pray that what goes around comes around with these two animals.
smithinjapan
Poor, poor, kid. Must have been agonizing. Twelve years is a pretty good stint, but it still should have been higher. As for the wife getting a lighter sentence and pulling out the 'abuse' card (and I can see posters jumping to her defense already), I say shame on her and that she should have gotten more than 7 years.
mrkobayashi
How do you think they grew up? Their parents fed them. Was it too much trouble? Then don't have kids, you piece of kuzu.
Dennis Bauer
should have been 70 and 120 years!
Lilic
How about making them starving for a little while in jail? Sounds fare to me!
Ms. Alexander
The pain the boy must've felt. Brings tears to my eyes. There is no excuse whatsoever for what these monster parents did. I'm glad they are going to jail but 7 years for mom and 12 years for dad, IMO, isn't nearly enough punishment.