Police in Soka, Saitama Prefecture, have arrested a 46-year-old woman on suspicion of arson and attempted murder after she set fire to her house in order to kill her 16-year-old son.
According to police, flames were seen coming from the family home at around 12:30 a.m. on Saturday, Fuji TV reported. The suspect, Junko Yamabe, lives in the wooden house with her 47-year-old husband, 18-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son.
Police said all the family members got out of the house before the fire destroyed the second floor. The daughter called 119 to report the fire and 10 fire trucks were mobilized.
Yamabe’s husband and daughter suffered no injuries, while her son suffered burns to his arms, police said.
Police said Yamabe has admitted starting the fire by setting fire to some clothing and quoted her as saying she wanted to kill her son but gave no motive.
© Japan Today
11 Comments
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mmwkdw
I've written before on this matter. Teenagers are going to be the biggest problem facing families during a lockdown - this is only the start. I feel sorry for the Mother - she's "presumably" been mentally tormented to the point of a total mental breakdown which resulted in her unimaginably insane act. At least everyone survived. She now needs help, and the Family needs somewhere to live. I hope things work out for them in the end.
602miko
Might her son and family gonna hate her 4eva, hope not ! Hope we could hear her sides for the next episode?
rgcivilian1
Difficult to take a comment stand when only one side of the tale is told. Aside that the son is target no motive is provided.
Paul14
There's never a legitimate excuse to burn somebody alive. Those of you who think there might be need to seek specialist psychiatric help.
ReynardFox
Now that is some of the most wild conjecturing I have ever heard. There’s blaming the victim and then there’s this. You have absolutely zero evidence to support a single word of what you said. Even you admit that everything you said is a “presumption”. A presumption based on what I can only assume are the voices in your head.
socrateos
It's frustrating to read articles like this without information about the motives and relationships.
starpunk
Yes - like the husband getting a divorce and the burned son getting help and medical attention. As for that 'poor woman', she needs to be put in the can for life!
sir_bentley28
I think 16 years is too late for an abortion. He's 16! What could your motive be?