crime

Mother gets 2 years in prison for abusing 8-month-old daughter who suffered frostbite

23 Comments

A 25-year-old woman has been sentenced to two years in prison by the Saitama District Court for parental neglect after abandoning her 8-month-old daughter in a bathroom in midwinter. The infant subsequently lost parts of two toes due to frostbite.

According to the ruling, Asuka Kamikubo left her daughter, wearing only a diaper, inside the bathroom at their home in Soka from 5 p.m. on Jan 13 until 1 p.m. the next day, Fuji TV reported Thursday. Overnight, the temperature dropped below zero. There was no heating in the bathroom and the child suffered frostbite in her toes.

Prosecutors said Kamikubo had also beaten her daughter between November 2017 and Jan 15 this year.

In handing down the court’s ruling, the presiding judge said the defendant put her daughter’s life at risk and dismissed Kamikubo’s claim that she couldn’t hear her daughter’s cries from the bathroom.

Kamikubo lived with her daughter and son, 2. On Jan 15, she took her children to visit her parents and her mother noticed something wrong with the little girl. She was taken to hospital which contacted a child welfare center about a possible case of child abuse.

Kamikubo admitted to abusing her daughter. However, her son was not harmed.

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23 Comments
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Just what kind of home has a bathroom that isn't heated? Is it an outhouse? And yes, the mother got what she deserved. Unfortunately the child will suffer for its entire life. Someone take that child away and love her. And when she's old enough, explain to her what her cruel and stupid mother did to permanently scar her.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

TrevorPeace, you say that you often visit Japan and travel the country. But with this statement I wonder where you are visiting. Most houses do not heat their bathrooms, even modern houses. They might have floor heating, but that is a real luxury.

Anyway, this woman should never have access to her daughter again. I cannot understand how a parent can abuse one child and favor another. The cruelty of this action is so grotesque!

14 ( +14 / -0 )

?? Huh? Yeah most houses don't have heated bathrooms. That's not really the point.. the point is why you would leave an 8 month old baby in a bathroom overnight! Heartbreaking..

9 ( +9 / -0 )

She was a single mother worn out from looking after her toddler son and baby daughter. What she did is inexcusable, of course, but where’s the father?

2 ( +4 / -2 )

2 years, I say she got real lucky. Leaving voluntarily a baby unattended in an unheated room in the middle of winter for 20 hours, she's lucky she wasn't prosecuted for attempted murder.

I guess her children will go with their grand parents now, and hopefully they can protect them from her.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Every time I read about something like this I appreciate the soldier in my house who is constantly taking care of our two treasures and never complains. I am so lucky and so are my children.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

She was most likely treated the same way when she was growing up. Therefore, in her mind, she was doing nothing wrong.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

just ... 2 years... only?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

2 years is more than most who commit even worse than this. Have a nice trip lady

0 ( +0 / -0 )

GOOD no suspended sentence crap

1 ( +1 / -0 )

macv: Yes, but not good enough. Should be a lot higher.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Heartbreaking. 20 hours in the cold and no food either. At 8 months old they cant walk they dont know whats going on. Should have been charged with attempted murder.

I wonder if this is enough to grant custody to the father... i guess not though.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

afanofjapan - I wonder if this is enough to grant custody to the father... i guess not though.

It will be a cold day in hell before any father is granted custody in Japan. Her immediate family would be first in line. Then, her extended family. Then, the child/children would become wards of the state. The only way a father gets custody is if it is requested by the mother.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It will be a cold day in hell before any father is granted custody in Japan. Her immediate family would be first in line. Then, her extended family. Then, the child/children would become wards of the state. The only way a father gets custody is if it is requested by the mother.

After living here in Japan for 18+ years and being a father, I know this to be true.  But it still shocks me when I read or hear about it.  The fact that the father wasn't even mentioned in the article also speaks volumes.  Guess we have to assume that he is no longer part of the children's lives.  Japanese society has come a long way but when it comes to the welfare of its children, it is still in the dark ages. 

S

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I wonder if this is enough to grant custody to the father... i guess not though.

Did he lose a custody battle, or was he just not in the picture to begin with? This article doesn't mention any of that.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

It will be a cold day in hell before any father is granted custody in Japan. Her immediate family would be first in line. Then, her extended family. Then, the child/children would become wards of the state. The only way a father gets custody is if it is requested by the mother.

No, it happens. There was a single-father at my kids' kindergarten who had won custody over his wife.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

MeiyouwentiToday 07:49 am JST

She was a single mother worn out from looking after her toddler son and baby daughter. What she did is inexcusable, of course, but where’s the father?

There's heaps of answers as to the whereabouts of the father, but this is good point

StrangerlandToday 03:12 pm JST

It will be a cold day in hell before any father is granted custody in Japan. Her immediate family would be first in line. Then, her extended family. Then, the child/children would become wards of the state. The only way a father gets custody is if it is requested by the mother.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Andrew - you credited that quote to me, but I did not make that statement, I quoted someone else making that statement.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Mother of the year

0 ( +0 / -0 )

judge said the defendant put her daughter’s life at risk

Obviously, mom doesn't care

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@Strangerland - No, it happens. There was a single-father at my kids' kindergarten who had won custody over his wife

No, you are wrong! He has custody because he was allowed to. She most likely has no parents and gave the kids up. For any father to be awarded custody in Japan it must come with permission from the mother. Furthermore, you are using a single case as your reference. A case with more details than you know.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Do the Hustle,

i really understand your sentiment.

But there ARE some cases where the father gets custody. But they are rare. The mother would have to be proven to be pretty bad.

As a father who hasn’t been able to see his children for years, cases like this really get to me. I know every human is sickened by it, but it’s especially worrying when you have kids and wonder how they are.

There is more child abuse by mothers than most people realize.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

He has custody because he was allowed to.

Um, no. I asked him how he ended up with custody, because I thought it never happened, and he had to fight for it.

Furthermore, you are using a single case as your reference.

I was replying to this:

The only way a father gets custody is if it is requested by the mother.

I told a personal story that I feel conflicts with this statement.

A case with more details than you know.

Um, you’re telling me I don’t know about a guy I knew. You know, that guy you don’t know. Nor have ever met. Bit of a logic failure there innit.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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