crime

Mother accused of killing 2-month-old daughter by lacing her milk with drugs pleads not guilty

20 Comments

A 24-year-old woman accused of killing her 2-month-old daughter by lacing her milk with hypertension drugs and other medicine in December 2016 pleaded not guilty at the opening session of her trial Monday at the Tokyo District Court.

According to the indictment, Sachika Tabata, who was arrested in July 2017, allegedly added high blood pressure medicine to her daughter Shion’s milk on Dec 29, 2016, at the family’s house in Meguro Ward, Fuji TV reported. Shion died of complications soon after.

The baby was born underweight and was treated at a hospital after her birth until about a week before being taken back to her mother’s house.

The case came to light after an autopsy on Shion’s body showed traces of medicine which matched pills found at Tabata’s home.

At the time of Shion’s death, Tabata was living with her disabled mother who was taking prescribed medication for high blood pressure and diabetes. According to police, Tabata was in control of her mother’s medicines and had access to them.

Prosecutors believe that Tabata was aware of the harm that the medicines could do to her daughter. Tabata has denied putting any medicine in Shion’s milk bottle.

In their opening statement on Monday, prosecutors said the baby’s father was a customer at the hostess club where Tabata worked. The man had no further contact with Tabata and she never wanted to have the baby, prosecutors claimed.

Tabata’s lawyer said there was no direct evidence showing that she put any medicine in the milk and that she had no motive to kill her child, whom she had vaccinated against the flu on the day of the alleged crime.

© Japan Today

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20 Comments
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Heartbreaking.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

In their opening statement on Monday, prosecutors said the baby’s father was a customer at the hostess club where Tabata worked. The man had no further contact with Tabata and she never wanted to have the baby, prosecutors claimed.

Abortion after the fact! Woman should have had her tubes tied BEFORE she jumped into bed with this dude!

My heart goes out to the baby who died because of her idiot incubator, she sure as hell wasnt a mother!

3 ( +8 / -5 )

So she worked as a hostess, had sex with a customer and made an unwanted child, had no further contact with the "father", but had no motive? There's your motive right there, or are you just ignet.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Yubaru, exactly.

Shes likely to do it again. It should be mandatory for anyone who commits a crime like this to be forcefully sterilized.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

The poor child dies only a week after it gets home because of medicines that you have access to mysteriously appearing in her milk. Murderer.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

My heart goes out to the baby who died because of her idiot incubator, she sure as hell wasnt a mother!

A truism.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Japan needs more birth control measures. From 15 years old, girls should get free contraception. Any man frequently sex establishments and doesn’t use a condom should be fined ¥100000 or 3 months in prison. Let’s be safe out there.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

the baby’s father was a customer at the hostess club where Tabata worked. The man had no further contact with Tabata and she never wanted to have the baby, prosecutors claimed.

The man couldn't even be bothered to rubber up, and then disappeared, without even leaving her the money for an abortion. Selfish, irresponsible, dangerous behaviour.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I can't argue with any of the above. But the story truely is heartbreaking.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Horrific case. But did she do what she was accused of - and if so, did she do it knowingly? We just don't know.

Shes likely to do it again. It should be mandatory for anyone who commits a crime like this to be forcefully sterilized.

Given that your commentary on women involved in tragedies or alleged crimes seems to consist solely of blame, or calling for them to hang - I'll treat this latest suggestion with the customary downvote it deserves.

You don't know the circumstances of the case anymore than I do.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

 From 15 years old, girls should get free contraception. Any man frequently sex establishments and doesn’t use a condom should be fined ¥100000 or 3 months in prison. Let’s be safe out there.

And let the 15 year old males, who can have more kids than a single 15 female having the same amount of sex, get nothing? Why not insist men get snipped at 12 and if they want kids, get the survey reversed? Less evasive for the guys than women. Probably cheaper than women buying the pill. Oh right, it would mean men would have to take responsibility...

4 ( +6 / -2 )

The argument of her lawyer that she had no motive and that even 'she had vaccinated against the flu on the day of the alleged crime' should be taken as a fact that makes the crime even more possible. Anyone knows when you have vaccination not to mix with other drugs! She was obviously and sadly making sure its done!

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

"Tabata’s lawyer said there was no direct evidence showing that she put any medicine in the milk and that she had no motive to kill her child, whom she had vaccinated against the flu on the day of the alleged crime."

Perhaps, but how do you explain the medication in the milk, the SAME medication in her house that is for her disabled mother?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

You don't know the circumstances of the case anymore than I do.

Exactly.

Being humane means being so evenly. The baby is surely a victim of a crime. Be it murder or neglect.

However, this crime is beyond the perpetrator's actions, a social problem. As all crime is.

We will never know what really happened. No matter how obvious it seems to any of you. Whatever you state is not the truth unless you have witnessed it first hand.

By being judgmental, impulsive and bloodthirsty you are not being any more humane than you claim she was.

You are actually perpetuating and encouraging the same social issues that bring about these sad situations: failing to hear all parties, understand all parties, etc.. Abraham Lincoln once something to the tone of "never judge a man unless you have walked a mile in his shoes".

This woman was a new mother for a baby she probably wanted or not, from a man she willingly slept with or not,

for a reason that could range from seeking love to seeking thrills, from a house where her own mother is a burden to her, no father seems to be in the picture for her either, she could be anything from depressive, undadapted, impulsive, rebellious, unsocial, lacking friends, drug user or addict, school dropout... etc, etc,

or not, and still as a new mother very well be facing post-partum depression(PPD), which in and on itself is hard enough for mothers who have the support of their husbands and families and who expressly love their babies (my wife and I are the parents of 2, I can attest to how PPD can affect women, my wife's dejected face after weeks of irregular sleep and her then apparent inability to care anymore for a crying baby when she hasn't been able to sleep well for weeks, carved a lasting image of just how tough the mother's job is), and in that condition the mother's mind is literally blurred, blunted and foggy.

Whatever happened, we don't know, but in any case she deserves the benefit of the doubt and as much pity and sympathy until she is proven guilty.

And the man who got her pregnant deserves as much judgement for not caring for the consequences of his actions, not being responsible.

And all of us need to figure out our role in this and all type of tragedies, as members of society, we might not commit any crime... but do we condone any from our relatives, friends, acquaintances?? Do we pass quick judgments over the internet, but our friend's/relative's/acquaintance's dangerous driving, mistreatment of others, drug use, illegal activities, etc don't meet the same kind of judgement face to face??

Do we seek to help those who seem to be screaming for help, overwhelmed by stress, problems or bad health??

Let's do this instead of passing frivolous judgements over the internet. Will you??

3 ( +3 / -0 )

@Lugburhz

Excellent first post. Post of the day, at the very least.

By being judgmental, impulsive and bloodthirsty you are not being any more humane than you claim she was.

Better get used to it. Sadly, this is the go-to response to certain crimes here. Especially if it involves a woman.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

You know while fairness and not bashing people or jumping to conclusions is definately the right way to go, this woman has quite a lot of circumstancial evidence against her.

The infant died from pills for a sick adult in their shared home that ended up in a baby’s body. I am all for innocent till proven guilty, but I’m not gunna jump to her defense either.

There is a real concern that she murdered her infant.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What if the mother tells the truth ? How about the grand mother? Nobody asked if she could have done it ? Yes she is disabled but she is the one taking those pills and was she left alone with the child while the mother was going to work (was she still working)?

Was the grandmother tired to hear the baby crying ?

I mean they were living at her place, right ?

Was Shion's grandmother ashamed of the situation and acted on it ?

There's other possibilities than just the mother doing it... Many questions not answered yet....

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There is a real concern that she murdered her infant.

I am quite sure nobody here needs any poster telling us she night have done it or not. That is pretty obvious, that is why she is on trial.

So, what is your point? Spare us your hollier than thou arrogance.

What do you all gain from spreading condemnation and bloodthirsty comments about somebody totally unknown to you?

It is not about defending her, just understanding we don't know for sure what happened and all circumstances around this.

Just because we are able to think whatever we want and express it, it doesn't mean it is worth expressing it.

What are we spreading: animosity, intolerance, quick judgement before the facts, ignorance, inhumanity, self gratification, etc?? Or generosity, tolerance, understanding, open-mindness,etc??

Does what we say help make a better world or just perpetuates the current state of things??

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Tabata’s lawyer said there was no direct evidence showing that she put any medicine in the milk and that she had no motive to kill her child, whom she had vaccinated against the flu on the day of the alleged crime.

This lawyer made a valid point! This lawyer knows there are MANY problems with the system. They have NO REAL PROOF than she did it (please don't think I'm defending her. Maybe she did it, maybe she didn't) But they have no solid proof (video, finger prints, DNA, motive, witnesses, confidants, notes, letters of confessions) to create a case against her. I've seen cases where they'd change written statements, autopsy reports, administer intimidation tactics to get a false confession just to get a case. I have been in the Criminal Forensics field for quite some time and I would know EXACTLY what to look for to find out of she did it or not and get solid proof.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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