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The Shizuoka District Court has sentenced a 24-year-old man to seven years in prison for fatally abusing his 2-month-old daughter at their home in Numazu City in December 2016.
The court handed down the ruling Friday against Fumiya Gouke who was convicted of causing his daughter Ria’s death by hitting her head against the floor on Dec 2, 2016, in the apartment he shared with his then 17-year-old common-law wife, Fuji TV reported. The woman was at work at the time of the incident.
The court heard that Gouke took the infant to a hospital and told staff that he had dropped his child on the floor. Ria's condition worsened and she was transferred to another hospital where she died on Dec 9.
Hospital officials suspected child abuse and notified child welfare authorities, who then contacted the police. Gouke admitted picking his daughter up by the ankles because he was irritated by her crying and then hitting her head against the floor.
© Japan Today
19 Comments
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Slickdrifter
Absolutely disgusting.
Seven years? That's it? For murdering a defenseless two month old?
Somehow we have to believe justice will be fulfilled for Ria chan.
Ria, may you fly with the angels and rest in peace.
Disillusioned
7 years is better than a suspended sentence.
darknuts
Too many people having kids without knowing how much work it is. You're simply not going to get a good nights sleep for the first year at least, if you have a kid.
Myhumbletake
Too lenient. Rest In Peace little bird.
Jonorth
I guess that's why he couldn't get an adult girlfriend and had to turn to teens. He's violent and has no impulse control. I'm so sorry for this young child and the mother. Must have been horrible.
BurakuminDes
Rest in Peace to Ria-chan.
Just 7 years in prison for violently assaulting and murdering a baby? An absolute disgrace. People here have been given longer sentences for financial crimes. It goes to show just how little value is placed on the precious life of a child. (Sadly, this leniency is applied in many other countries, too). The scary thing is the violent, worthless scum will be out on the streets when he is 31.
Dango bong
what a tough guy with his 17 year old wife. looking for the word "unemployed" but didn't see it. Well he did get her to stop crying. Loser
Speed
It's always 7 years (or less) for murdering your own baby (kid).
The first 10 years I was here I used to be outraged at these lenient sentences. From the 2nd and 3rd decades on, I just say to myself when a crime like this is committed, "He'll/She'll...only get 7 years tops." and leave the article feeling bummed out.
DaDude
The guy should be snipped too from ever having kids again.
Goodlucktoyou
17 year old common law wife. Baby. That means he was having relations with a minor, maybe 16. Other charges should be considered.
chisineko
A penalty of seven years for murder seen rather lenient. Also seems to present little deterrent or example to others that infanticide is not an approved social behavior. Seven years on the public dime in exchange for a two month old life in a time of economic hardship for so many - a peculiar solution indeed.
DAaron
A seven year sentence seems lenient but in similar cases in the U.S the parent is often times given a lesser sentence, sometimes out in only a few months or even just probation, far too little punishment for such a despicable crime in my book.
Luddite
"Fatalling abusing" - he killed her then and seven years is an insult to justice and the child he killed.
Michael Jackson
WTF is wrong with the "justice" system in Japan?
Michael Jackson
I don't know how the judges can sleep at night letting baby murderers get off with such light sentences
AustPaul
RIP little Ria, hope you are in a better place now.
7 years is way too lenient, hope the prosecutors would appeal the lack of severity of the sentence....
Ko
Seven years for murdering a young child is not surprising because once the killing of In Utero babies was legalized in Japan it has cheapened human life at every stage. The legalized killing of human beings in the In Utero stage of human life has caused society to become calloused, cold and coarsened with a diminished sense of love, care, kindness and grace. It is not surprising to see young children murdered and their murderers receiving very light prison terms because human life in its entire spectrum has been cheapened and degraded by the legalization of abortion In Utero killings.
sir_bentley28
By her ankles? This statement alone PROVES this loon had no right being a parent! He should be strung up in a cell by his ankles for the 7 years in prison.