crime

Parents arrested after leaving daughters, aged 3 and 1, at home alone for 11 days

37 Comments

Police in Kagoshima said Friday they have arrested a 28-year-old unemployed man and his 24-year-old wife on suspicion of parental neglect after they left their two daughters, aged 3 and 1, in their apartment for 11 days.

According to police, the couple, Mitsugi Yamamoto and his wife Kazuki, who is a temp worker, have admitted to the charge, Sankei Shimbun reported. They were quoted as saying they stayed in a business hotel for 11 days because they wanted to spend some time together.

Police said the children were left at home between July 11 and July 21. The parents went back on several occasions to feed them and then returned to the hotel.

On the night of July 21, the 3-year-old was seen wandering by herself on the street near the apartment. A passerby notified police and she was taken into protective custody. Three hours later, police went to the apartment and found the girl’s younger sister.

Police said both children were taken to hospital for a check-up and do not have any life-threatening injuries.

© Japan Today

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

37 Comments
Login to comment

I said it before and I'll say it again. My heart longs to have children of my own. I would treat them so kindly and spoil them a little. But they would learn the value of things. And then you have stories like these. I don't understand how people can leave precious things like these children alone. Yes, they are work. They are suppose to be. They are young they depend on people who should know better.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This ridiculous! My wife and I would go to my game room and just relax or talk about whatever we want if we want alone time while my son is watching his favorite tv show or dvd IN THE SAME HOUSE! Leave him alone at home for 11 days? Unmentionable! Leave him alone at home for 30 mins? Never would happen! He's 5 and I can NEVER even think of that!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Several occasions in 11 days? What does that really mean? 5 times? 10 times? It is atrocious and pathetic parenting. You cannot leave a one year old in a nappie/diaper for the whole day. They need regular changing.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Nippori Nick

What? Did those kids just sit there in soiled clothes for days on end?

The article says "The parents went back on several occasions to feed them", so can assume they also changed nappies at the time. The headline is a little misleading... this is not like the case recently where a woman left her toddler completely alone for 8 days.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

What? Did those kids just sit there in soiled clothes for days on end?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Mark, they do a wonderful job teaching during the 5 days in hospital. This is just crazy, sefish people who unfortunately procreated

0 ( +0 / -0 )

They were quoted as saying they stayed in a business hotel for 11 days because they wanted to spend some time together.

They'll be spending more than 11 days in a different kind of state run 'business hotel' in the near future I fear.

Beyond reckless and cruel.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I think it is time for Japan to start having educational courses for these young parents on how to raise a child.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Did't I read just few days ago about a 3 years girl dying alone after 11 days in the apartment while the mother was visiting her boyfriend, What the hell is going on with these people !??? is this a trend in Japan now???

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Horrified as I am I still can't help but marvel at the abilities of these two to compartmentalize and filter out the thoughts of their kids.

I mean they have themselves as constant reminder all that time of the kids left by themselves in the house.

Probably they are aware all the time but just don't care.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Two ‘people’ whose tubes need to be tied.

Round their necks

3 ( +4 / -1 )

name28

What is wrong with that people? I cannot leave my 18 years old daughter alone for more than a day! Not to mention my 34 years old son.

what???

1 ( +2 / -1 )

The parents went back on several occasions to feed them and then returned to the hotel.

OK, so it was not 11 days (in which case it would have been murder). Not an excuse of course, but this is not on the same level as that woman the other day who locked in her daughter for 8 days to starve to death.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Let's hope their 11-day 'time together' doesn't result in a third unlucky child being born.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

The 3-year-old is an absolute hero for surviving this and keeping her little sister alive.

The parents, on her other hand, are absolutely despicable. Lock ‘em up and throw away the key!

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Glad I wasn’t spoiled and my kids as well. I don’t get these kids nowadays. Smh....

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

What is wrong with that people? I cannot leave my 18 years old daughter alone for more than a day! Not to mention my 34 years old son.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

I really don't get it. I bet every second door you knock on would glean a willing babysitter, even if the people in that house simply knew a willing friend.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

These kids, any kids, deserve better parents than those two scumbags.

But now thankfully they have been named and shamed. Their faces on the news and media. They’re going to have a tough time in life from now. And they deserve every minute of it.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

They went back on several occasions...a day? Or over the course a week and a half? Were these poor sweeties sitting in dirty diapers for hours or days at a time? What if the baby spit up and aspirated all alone?

Surely the money needed to pay for 11 days in a hotel could be better spent on a babysitting service.

"Wanted to spend time together." Pfft. Doing what? In America I'd assume a meth bender. What do Japanese people bend on?

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Scum of the earth. Rot in hell.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I don't get it. I really don't.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I’ve volunteered in orphanages here and hearing the little ones crying for their moms when it’s sleep time is heart breaking. If you don’t think you can raise a child keep it in ya pants or use protection, animals.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

These children should be permanently removed form these appalling people.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Some people really are not fit to be parents.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

I was so lucky. My mum’s a gem and so was my dad.

These poor kids drew the short straw.

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Lock these two child abusers away for many years. Pure, disgusting evil. Ban the animals from any future contact with the little kids. I just hope the poor girls are OK.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

If you dont want kids give them to me.... this is BS parenting!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

There are so many options to "spend time alone" without leaving your kids by themselves!!!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Thank goodness they found the 1 year old. I am not sure a lost 3 year old would be able to say his name and address. Needless to say these children should not be returned to the parents.

The police probably took the child to the same spot where they found her and asked her to lead them to their place. It also meant that the door was unlocked. What if the one-year got out too?

I have no doubt that the 3-year old went outside looking for their parents after the last visit.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Speechless.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

This is obviously not a recent phenomenon. Japan wonders why this is happening now? Well, look at the TV shows showing 3 years old walking long distances to the store by themselves to run errands for their parents. Then after returning the parents are crying and proud of their children.

These young irresponsible parents with no support systems see this on TV and believe if the kids can do that then they can wash, feed and watch themselves too!

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Parents arrested after leaving daughters, aged 3 and 1, at home alone for 11 days

That are not parents! What kind of life is set for these kids? To be placed into an orphanage or to be neglected by these two selfish idiots?

9 ( +9 / -0 )

Wow. I'm not one to judge parents. I'm not a particularly good parent myself, but 11 hours seems like an atrocity. 11 days is unfathomable for me.

17 ( +18 / -1 )

Sickos. Get those kids out of there and throw those losers in the slammer.

15 ( +16 / -1 )

Horrific. Inexcusable. Unforgivable.

19 ( +21 / -2 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites