crime

Mother turns herself in, saying she killed her 8-yr-old son

42 Comments

The mother of an 8-year-old boy turned herself in at a police station in Aizuwakamatsu City, Fukushima Prefecture, on Monday night, telling authorities that she had killed her son, Keito, inside her car early Sunday morning.

The woman, identified as Michiko Sato, 34, was quoted by police as saying that she drove her son to a plot of vacant land near the Fukushima-Tochigi prefectural border at around 1:30 on Sunday morning. Sato then drove her car to the police station around 9 p.m. Monday and told police her son's body was in the car and that she had killed him.

Police said that Sato has been incoherent since her arrest and have not yet released any further details about the woman's family or a possible motive for the murder.

© News reports

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

42 Comments
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Wow. What a way to go. This poor kid had to realize that his mom was killing him as he died. Hopefully she did the carbon monoxide thing, and he went peacefully, oblivious to what was happening.

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i was wondering where the obligatory "murder family member" news story was today

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When is this gonna end? What`s been happening in Fukushima?

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Wow...nothing like the love of a mother hey!!!! I hope the crimes in cell block C show you the same kind of love.

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Most likely mental illness. These people need to be identified and cared for and maybe most of these crimes could be prevented.

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Last Saturday, I saw a 4 year old boy smack, punch, kick & throw his jacket at his mother. Sometimes I see children abuse their parents. I wonder was there reverse domestic violence coming from the child ? Some kids are violent and need psychological help. I think this mother had/has alot of stress. We don't know why she did it but she should have asked for help from the government. Maybe she was crying for help before this happened ? In no way I'm condoningg her actions, but what lead her to this end result ?

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When is this gonna end? What`s been happening in Fukushima?

It's been happening since the beginning of time.

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And here's the daily child murder report! Sad state of affairs, this is.

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Whiskeysour, well said. maybe she put the kid out of his misery..we never know

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whiskeysour - Last Saturday, I saw a 4 year old boy smack, punch, kick & throw his jacket at his mother. Sometimes I see children abuse their parents.

And, where do you think this kid learned this kind of behavior? From his parents, of course. Too many parents around the world have no idea of the difference between punishment and discipline. And then, you add the paranoid and delusional Japanese to the mix to get these kinds of stories every other day in Japanese newspapers.

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Sick Woman, not a Mom, just a sick woman.

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Disillusioned,

whiskeysour - Last Saturday, I saw a 4 year old boy smack, punch, kick and throw his jacket at his mother. Sometimes I see children abuse their parents.

And, where do you think this kid learned this kind of behavior? From his parents, of course.

I'll agree with you about many parents not understanding the distinction between discipline and punishiment, but as far as where bad behavior is learned, I'd have so say the acquisition of social skills for Japanese children tends to happen more in group settings like kindergarten and pre-school than at home. Over the past 30 years, parents in Japan have turned the upbringing of their kids increasingly over to to third parties.

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we do not know whether this 8-year-old boy had behavior problems or not, and even IF he did, taking his life along with your own was NOT the way to solve the problem. And when kids learn bad behaviors from daycare/school, it is the parents' job to teach them it is not acceptable. You cannot let your child control you.

This mother probably had problems and might have thought that it would be better to take her son along with her, but a child is an individual, you do not own your child.

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Let us all just hope this terrible woman swings for killing a child. And bleeding hearts please spare us the "she was stressed out" justification - all parents are stressed out/struggle at times - there is ZERO excuse for abusing/killing our society's children. There are barely none left in Japan anyway.

Let this child killer swing. Rest in Peace Keito away from that evil woman.

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In all of these articles about infants death, toddlers deaths, and children deaths where is the authority to prevent these deaths? Is there any prevention at all in Japan? It doesn't seems like there is a safety net to protect children in Japan.

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@burakumindes

Think for a moment, she drove yjis kid somewhere with the intent to kill (it would seem). This wasn't an instant reaction to an event. What kind of pressure can drive a person to do that? Put yourself in her shoes now, and imagine that you are getting in the car to drive that poor kid to the place he was killed - what are you thinking?

I agree with with the fact that there can be no excuse for killing a child (but I wouldn't stop at children though), but your comment kind of glides over any factors that could have driven the mother to do this.

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Gyouza, the fact that is wasn't spontaneous, makes it cold, calculating and planned out. Even more evil. Look, mental illness is a problem, aand may be a mitigating factor in some crimes, but I don't think parents can use this as an excuse in these all too frequent cases.

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When you need help ask. Sometimes, when you cannot solve your problems, it is alright to seek the help of family and friends. I have met a few people here who laugh and scoff when they hear that family and riends can help. I always get the answer, my problem is mine alone. It is not anybody else's. I am not sure what went on with this mother; but I know that she could have sought some help from a family or friend. Yeah, it is very brave if you can do some matryr like acts. But it is also alright to ask for help.

My friend and her teenage daughter are down with the flu. She was locked up in her tiny apartment for over a week. I could not bear the thought, so made some toast and herbal tea and just rang her bell. This is her first experience like this. Mind you, the mother and a sister live in close proximity to her house.

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Strange thing about Japan is that most people turn themselves in.

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Strange thing about Japan is that most people turn themselves in.

Yeah, isn't it??? if you have the ball to turn yourselfe in, don't do it. Stupid.

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Over the past 30 years, parents in Japan have turned the upbringing of their kids increasingly over to to third parties.

I Don't know what you are pretending to know, but the issue with discipline and disconnection between older and younger generation is not only the thing of Japanese society. With the introduction of internet and kids being over exposed to information, disconnection between parents and children are happening everywhere.

World is turning into a bad place. EVERYWHERE. I would not be upset if the world as we know it ended in year 2012.

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@bicultural & fishy, the reason why some people do turn themselves in (which happens worldwide, but much less often) is because they themselves realise they've done something wrong and recognize that fact. It also means they have chances for lighter sentances, as well as other benefits even though they will be punished by the local law.

Compare that to a criminal that the police have to search for which takes more time and resources because the criminal knows they've done something wrong and is trying to avoid persecution by the law. Its always better to "man up" so to speak and take responsibility for what you've done which this woman has in spite of how horrendous her crime is.

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Poor kid.

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whiskeysour: Maybe she [the mother] was crying for help before this happened? BurakuminDes: Let this child killer swing.

Totally opposite extremes! If I had to choose, I'd go (kind of reluctantly) with whiskeysour. Japan is not the kind of place where people come to each other's aid, making for an atmosphere where cries for help are often self-stifled. And killing a mother for killing a child? Tell me how that makes anyone happy or makes things right with the world.

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No one should swing but more than a slap on the wrist and on your way love is necessary as a deterrent at least. Bizarre really how child killers here are so ready to admit guilt. As if they know full well they are going to pretty much get away with it. Obviously though prevention is better than punishment. Nothings going to bring that little boy back though. No excuses love.

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masterkun05 - No one should swing but more than a slap on the wrist

I totally disagree. No one should ever hit any kid for any reason! It is unnecessary and has been proven that hitting children only makes them more violent and resentful in later life. 'You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar'.

However, back on topic, this mother/monster planned to take her son's life and you can bet her reasons are nothing more than self-pitying paranoia along the lines of, "I couldn't give him a good life so I killed him." Just pathetic!
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This is a very tragic event but is likely not to be the last in Japan or throughout the world. Correct me if I am wrong, but Japanese culture is based a lot on pride, which makes it difficult to ask for help in times of hardship or stress. Some people may prefer doing something that we would consider dramatic in order to be relieved of their stress. As I have mentioned before, it would be great it there were more programs available to help people deal with stress but sadly unless people feel that they will not be scrutaized for asking for help, the programs may fail. I do not wish to see the culture changed dramiticly but I hope that people (especially stressed out mothers or mothers to be) will be able to not only ask for help but to receive valid assistance be it in the form of a therapy session or a loan to take economic pressures off.

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These stories seem to be different sides of the same sad tale, with names, locations, ages changing...but always ending in the murder of a child, by one or both of the parents. What I don't understand is why people on here seemingly fall over themselves to 'explain' away murder commmitted by women, yet given the same circumstances where a father is the perpetrator, everyone uniformly condemns them to hell and worse? The horrific nature of a crime like this is damning, regardless of the gender of the person involved. The double standard shown by some here is ridiculous and utterly despicable.

Regardless of the pressures involved, whatever external forces might have been in play, no matter how desperate someone's situation may be -- how on earth can any rational, sane person, father OR mother, conclude that robbing their own child of life is the only solution? And how can seemingly intelligent people try and justify or explain it away as a result of 'pressure'? Give your head a shake, really.

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Yeah, where is Children Services? Social Workers? Teachers? Friends? Maybe the woman was disturbed, but this should not have happened. Lots of horrible infant/child murders in the news these days, aren't there? Very, very, very, very, very sad.

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i hope this bitch gets life for this, no excuse for killing your child!!! i dont care how bad you have it THAT WAS A VERY SELFISH THING TO DO!!!

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This type of cases are frequently happening in Japan. The social structure is in stake. Something to be done to make people feel for other. Everybody looks so self-centric.

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Gyouza, the fact that is wasn't spontaneous, makes it cold, calculating and planned out. Even more evil. Look, mental illness is a problem, aand may be a mitigating factor in some crimes, but I don't think parents can use this as an excuse in these all too frequent cases.

Er, that my point (i.e. not spontaneous), but what I'm asking you is to imagine what on earth was on her mind at that point in time. No mental history known - so what pushed her that far, and why could it not happen to you?

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Yeah, I hope we'll see more social services in Japan. Whether it will make a major impact is another thing. I mean, you'd think that it would, but look at America, where they have social services galore, yet massive problems practically everywhere--even in small communities. It doesn't make sense to me.

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I see that some may blame children for driving their parents off the deep end. And then I see people blaming the parents for not teaching their children to behave correctly.

Where is the point that the parent is taught how to teach a child correctly? How many parents have been through life with at least one younger sibling, or any siblings at all to learn from? How many of their parents offered help or support?

What I am trying to say is that it is an issue of society. Without a basis on family support, it will turn out for the worst. This poor family probably was on the bad end of several bad relationships where this support and learning was not available.

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updated news said that the mother had problems within the family, she killed the boy while he was asleep in the car (she choked him with a thin string) and THEN STABBED him to make sure he's dead. when i read the part that she stabbed him AFTER she choked him and killed him, a slight sympathy i had for her disappeared.

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Er, that my point (i.e. not spontaneous), but what I'm asking you is to imagine what on earth was on her mind at that point in time. No mental history known - so what pushed her that far, and why could it not happen to you?

It would never happen to me - because no matter what my problems, I would never take it out on an innocent child by murdering him, like this despicable piece of human garbage did.

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Just another horrible, terrible sensless crime! RIP poor little boy! What a sick society we live in! Time to chant!

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Hang her sloooooowwwwwwllllllyyyyyy.

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This is a shame for a country of used to be a beautiful culture! Years of occupation and cultural suppression and now we start to see the effect! Japanese need to stand on their feet and treasure their beautiful heritage! It is so sad not for themselves but for the world to see such a wonderful culture is disappearing. The basic of family has been already destroyed and it is known fact in west. Time to wake up before too late!

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Not to mention, this did not happened in Tokyo, it happened where still a Castle stand in memory of young Samurais who sacrificed their life for their people and pride.

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The saddest thing is that like in all the other similar cases in Japan, she`ll probably get only a few years in prison as a sentence for turning herself in voluntarily and then realeased earlier for good behaviour giving an example to parents who want to commit nasty crimes with their own children that nothing much will happen to them If they really want to abuse their children and blame stress.

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