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A 72-year-old former nursing assistant at a home for the elderly in Inzai City, Chiba Prefecture, has been sentenced to 24 years in prison after being convicted of causing the death of her colleague.
The court ruled Tuesday that Aiko Hatano put a sleep-inducing drug into her colleague’s coffee which caused the victim to die in a car crash at around 5:30 p.m. on Feb 5, 2017, Fuji TV reported.
The victim, Keiko Yamaoka (then 60), and Hatano were colleagues at the nursing home. After drinking the tainted coffee, Yamaoka was driving back home when she lost consciousness. Her car veered into the opposite lane and crashed into an oncoming vehicle.
The Chiba District Court ruled that Hatano had intent to murder her colleague, by stating she was aware that Yamaoka would be in danger of causing a car accident. The presiding judge pointed out that the defendant completely disregarded the importance of life.
Yamaoka’s youngest son, who was present during the sentencing, said, “Not once did Hatano shed a tear or show any signs of remorse for her senseless crime.”
Hatano was first arrested in June of 2017 for attempting to injure a coworker, by lacing her drink. Footage recorded on the coworker's smartphone showed Hatano pouring white liquid into the woman's drink while she was away from her desk. It then showed the suspect returning to the desk and shaking the cup, the sources said.
Prosecutors said Hatano repeatedly spiked her colleagues' beverages. She used the same type of medication herself, which she kept in her desk at the office, and also had access to medication prescribed to the nursing home residents.
She was also charged with attempted murder for allegedly lacing the drinks of a 69-year-old female coworker and the coworker's 71-year-old husband in May 2017 before they drove home, attempting to kill them in a car crash.
Investigators then looked into the crash involving Yamaoka and in July 2017, charged her with murder in that case.
© Japan Today/Kyodo
8 Comments
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taj
Any attempt at providing/explaining a motive?
How do you get through 70 years of life and then suddenly start poisoning the people around you? Or had she been doing stuff like this for years? This is all very odd.
Vince Black
At least she'll die in prison alone, so that's good at least
gogogo
What was she trying to achieve?
Goodlucktoyou
It’s a life sentence, so eye for an eye.
Hiro
Gues she is looking for a permanent residence for her retirement. Probably sick of workong and instead want the government now to take care of her.
veejay
Witch needs a noose
Mocheake
She was a one-woman death squad. I wonder why she had it in for so many people and would like to find out her motive for doing those things.
Will Goode
So confession that she was aware might have an accident, described as total disregard for life, that's all they needed , throw away the key.
It was a mild sedative she used and felt others should use, in this case with tragic consequences, because we all know you should never use heavy machinery after taking any drug, drink or full meal that makes you tired.
Yet it occurred many times and was even filmed !