The body of a woman in her 30s and a newborn baby girl were found in the parking lot of an apartment building in Tokyo's Meguro Ward on Friday morning, police said, adding that the woman apparently jumped from an exterior stairwell.
A passerby saw the two bodies at around 6:40 a.m. and called 119, Livedoor News reported. The woman and the infant were taken to hospital where the baby was pronounced dead. The woman is in a coma.
Police said the woman and her child lived in the building and are treating the incident as a murder-suicide attempt.
© Japan Today
41 Comments
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MarkG
So sad.....nothing is ever that bad to end it all and kill others.
Knox Harrington
Reading this kind of news hurts. I just can't believe how the thinking goes when committing such an act of... Evil? There seems to be something here about family that is disturbing to me. If one goes, all should go, if one is guilty, all is guilty etc, all very old- fashioned feeling.
Except in Japan, where people kill themselves in droves. I feel the Japanese have a slightly fatalistic, resignated attitude to many things in life, that many times expresses itself in the overuse of shoganai instead of a "can-do" attitude. Quite tragic.
Ali Khan
it is so sad that some people see it is the end of the world when they confront some problems, and then such tragedies happen
DaDude
Not a good story to read to start the weekend....
Wc626
Holy crap! Again? Jeez- nuther' baby too. Endless, madness, nonsense. wtf Japan?
rikkun89
Why can't they just kill themselves? Why do they have to kill the baby?
Christopher Glen
What a tragedy
General_Union
While the rate is high here it is definietly much higher in some other countries. Even South Korea is higher. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_suicide_rate#List
Why such broad sweeping statements like "there's something about family here that is disturbing...."? There is nothing in the story to indicate this about family. More likely it is a lack of mental health care available to disturbed, stressed and in-experienced mothers. Maybe it is about poverty. There are plenty of societal reasons other than family, or something else being "wrong" about Japanese society.
Black Sabbath
Terrible to hear. Such a senseless waste. Remember:
"Suicide is a permanent 'solution' to a temporary problem."*
*Excruciating terminal illnesses aside.
LostinNagoya
RIP, poor angel.
nath
RIP.
Family Affairs at City Hall do offer a lot of help, like access to short stay homes when the mother needs a break. There are also many helplines (in Japanese) where you and even kids can call and ask for help anonymous.
Social welfare will also cover school lunches, medical, etc. Social welfare here it is not an all or nothing deal, you can get assistance suited to your needs. There are also NPO that will act as a go between with City-Hall.
A friend (single father) has his son living in a shelter as his work requires him to travel a lot, his son attends the same school as my son.
Another friend(single mother) often gets very tired due to work and uses a short-day home for her 2 kids to get a break and recover.
People need to find out more about what help/services are available.
Myself being a single father on medical disability at times need to use those services.
John-San
My fiancee told me that it is very hard for single mothers. They are alienated from the community and there no or little financial support from the Government for single mothers. Japanese society really have to realise that without some sort of financial and community support these children have a real change of becoming problematic. The Father of the Child should be force to pay for financial support. The Support money should be deduced from his wages until the child reaches 18 years of age. If the Mother partners up with someone else, the deduces from the fathers wages should cease.
Disillusioned
John-san, there are two sides to your comments about child support. There are no domestic laws about child support, but there are no domestic laws about joint custody either. Many of these single mothers cut the fathers off from their children and give them no access what-so-ever, but still expect them to pay for children they cannot see and, the payments are whatever the woman demands. My ex told me I had to pay ¥3,000 per-hour per-child if I wanted to see them.
However, in this case, the baby was only a new born and child support is not really a relevant issue. Many people are referring to post natal depression, but I'm sure this woman's emotional issues started long before she got pregnant.
John-San
Disillusioned: Sounds like your ex- wife does not want you in there lives. But your wife can not deny you access even if you don,t give her financial support. At the moment they a young but they will grow up and make up their own opinion of there Father. Man have to be responsible and give support to the children "not to their ex-wife or partner". They can buy their clothing, pay for their share electrical and accommodation, cover the cost of their education and sporting activities even if you are deny access. To use the old " I am deny access" for your responsibilities is just a cop out. With no prospect of a secure future these acts will continue to happen
Hawkeye
Sad news and that child obviously is the victim here. Perhaps postpartum depression, a husband or boyfriend that walked out on them of just plain old depression.
nath
In Japan? Yes she can.
Disillusioned
Getting off topic, but I do pay my child support. However, my visitation is totally up to her and can change with her mood. I have no legal grounds to appeal to or do I have any control over the amount of child support and how much time I can spend with my kids. I just have to keep my mouth shut and keep polishing the apple so she will let me see my kids. I am at the mercy of her moods and whims! She stopped me seeing them for over a year for no reason except, her new Japanese boyfriend told her to. It's a total farce!
I'm actually surprised there are not more fathers committing suicide with their kids.
WilliB
So sad.
John-San
Strangerland:Disllusioned The Ex-Wife can deny you access but can not deny child or children access to the Father. The child will decide when they are old enough if they want a relationship with there Father. Just stay in the background take care of the children needs. Yes the Father is hard done but why make the children pay the emotional stress That what the ex wife is doing. The Father has to make sure that there children have a security future weather or not they have problem with their Ex- wife. The Ex- Wife will dig her own grave with her relationship with the child or children
Mirai Hayashi
Unforgivable and selfish to take your own child because you suck at life. Poor child...no chance at all. And the postpartum BS has gotta stop. Help is there if you seek it.
Whatsnext
They got to stop reporting on these suicides. Too many copy cats. This has been happening every month.
smithinjapan
In any case, this is yet another nutbag mother who murdered her baby out of selfishness. How many do we have to read about before something is done? I hope if she survives she rots in prison for the rest of her life, with pictures posted around her of the darling life she snuffed out, and her family and friends foresake her for good, as she should be. I know the usual suspects will be on here saying it's not her fault, it wasn't murder even though she literally killed her child, she can't be held responsible, etc., and all the other justifications they use to defend child murder when it's the mother, but as with the father who beat his 4-month-old to death the other day, the woman is guilty and culpable, and deserves to go to prison if she survives. If not, I hope she rots in hell. These women know full well that if they experience doubt or depression after giving birth there are places they can go to and people they can help, and if worse comes to worst there's a little thing called a baby-hatch they can leave the baby in for someone who will care for it and not murder it, so the fact that they do not take these options but instead CHOOSE to take the life of their child is murder, plain and simple.
In terms of what society can do; while as stated services currenlty exist, society should do more to watch out for and support women who have given birth, and needless to say family both direct and extended should try and help if they are not already. Perhaps they need to start watching for signs of depression and dark thoughts carefully and if there is no way to help then try and get them to seek outside help, lest we hear about this yet again and again tomorrow and the next day, etc.
Frungy
Most Japanese women don't even know about postpartum depression and have no idea what is happening to them. Even when they do know or seek help they have to deal with doctors who either deny the problem or refuse to prescribe any medication because "it will affect the baby through breast milk" - despite long-term research showing that some antidepressants (such as zoloft) are safe for use while breastfeeding. .
The mothers also have to deal with the wealth of ignorance, fear and discrimination against people suffering from mental illnesses in Japan, despite that fact that nearly 90% of the population in any country will suffer some sort of mental illness at some point in their lives - which just highlights the stupidity of such discrimination.
keika1628
Give it a rest there smith... you're part of society ... do something about it yourself.
Mirai Hayashi
@Frungy
Sorry, but not buying a single word of what you're saying. First of all, if you have ever been to a Japanese doctor, you'd know that they have absolutely no qualms over prescribing medication to anyone. When my wife was discharged from the hospital after having our daughter, the doctor prescribed literally a department store shopping bag sized container full of medication. It was ridiculous and expensive! Pain killers, medication for upset stomach, medication for better sleep....etc etc. Despite us telling the doctor we had no need for that stuff, he prescribed it anyways. Its all that the doctors do in Japan: prescribe medication, so your statement about doctors hesitating on prescribing antidepressants is completely incredible. And even if the doctor by chance felt that the the medication was not good for nursing mothers, this would not stop them from prescribing them. they would just simply tell the mother to use formula while they were on medication.
Secondly, all of these women who kill their children or attempt a murder-suicide give the same excuse: "I didn't have confident in raising a child" and/or "I didn't feel confident about the future." It's always I..I..I..me...me...me, as if the whole universe relies on their existence to survive. This may be out of ignorance, arrogance, or mental illness, but the bottom line is that there are PLENTY of people who could have cared for that child besides her, and could have probably done a much better job. The last thing that child needs is a mentally insane parent (in the absolute literal definition on the term) caring for them. If the mother could not care for the child then give the child to someone who can, and have her tubes tied. No need to kill.
Last point, I don't condone suicide in any way, but I know that there are mental diseases that causes one to believe that death is the only solution to whatever problem they are facing. But to feel that the must take an innocent life with them is sheer selfishness. If this woman does survive, I agree that she needs to be put in a mental institution for a very long time. But most likely, the stupid Japanese justice system will misplace their compassion once again and let her off with a slap on the wrist: "Her child died; she's had enough punishment"....NO. she KILLED her child, she need not be set free to commit the same crime....my two yen.
cleo
Depends on the doctor.
That's not been my experience. Again, probably depends on the doctor.
Frungy
And how much of it was anti-depressants. None. Antibiotics, pathetically weak painkillers, and the dreaded "kanpo" (Chinese traditional medicine), by the bucket-load. But anti-depressants? No. A
There's a world of difference between prescribing the stuff you described and prescribing anti-depressants, and that world of difference can be summed up in one word: "Specialist". A Japanese obstretician needs to refer a patient to the resident psychiatrist (if there is even one - often you'll need to go to a special hospital or several hospitals will share a single psychiatrist and they're only there on certain days) before they can prescribe anti-depressants, because it is outside of tho obstetrician's area of speciality.
... the only time I have EVER heard a Japanese doctor recommend a mother use formula is when a patient had influenza, and even then it was immediately followed by advice to resume breast-feeding as soon as she was feeling better. Every Japanese doctor I've met (and I've met hundreds) has been a firm advocate of breast-feeding. Ask most elementary schoolers and they'll tell you something similar, the idea that "breast is best" has been pounded into most Japanese people their whole lives.
You don't seem to understand the entire concept of mental illness at all. Here's a crash course. First, stop thinking of depression as selfishness. Think of it rather as "pain", because that's what it essentially is, mental pain.
Imagine you're being tortured, and have been in intense pain with no relief for weeks. You're in unending pain and you get a chance to take your life. Nobody would criticise you for taking your chance to end the pain.
Being chronically depressed in a country where most people don't understand and aren't prepared to talk about or treat depression is a lot like that. Add to the equation that you're out of your mind with pain and it becomes much easier to understand how someone might take their child with them.
Mirai Hayashi
@Fungy
You've completely missed the both major points. Yes, I gave pain killers as an example in my post, but do you think that pain killers are good for a nursing mother too? My point is, the doctors DON'T CARE. The make money off of prescribing medication, so if someone were to walk in ask and ask for anti-depressants, the doctor most likely won't use "nursing" as an excuse not to prescribe it to them. The would simply tell them to go on formula for a while. The type of doctor is irrelevant. They are more than happy to load anyone down with drugs, because they make money from it. Its one of the biggest things I absolutely despise about going to the hospital in Japan. No consultation, do treatment, just drugs, drugs drugs...."come back when you run out, and I will give you more."
You must be joking! Most of the hospitals here are so commercialized here its ridiculous. We were given two big containers of Meiji baby formula before our daughter was even born. We told them we would be breast feeding and they just snubbed us. And when my wife had trouble producing milk it was, "here! you need to use this stuff...its better"....The docctors here don't care whether or not you are breast feeding, and if you are on medication, its DON'T breastfeed, use baby formula because Meiji sponsors our hospital and we make money from it.
I get it...and as I said earlier, I understand that some illnesses make you believe that the only solution to the problem you're facing is to commit suicide. But I reiterate, it is NO EXCUSE to take another person's life <-this is the part that is selfish! That baby was robbed of so many things because this woman did take ONE second to think to seek help first. And as someone stated earlier, this baby was a new born. Mental illness doesn't start the second the mother passed the child through her legs. She should have sought help a long time ago. There is just no excuse for it ...NONE! And I am really irritated over the misplaced sympathies here. The person who should get the sympathy is the poor innocent child who had no say in this, and perhaps the father who's life is totally ruined because of this woman.
This woman deserves no sympathy...NONE! She should have sought help long ago, and if she felt that she couldn't get help, then do whatever you like, BUT leave the child out of it! I hope she does live, so she can have a very very LONG think about what she did in some mental ward somewhere.
nath
You start your comment my saying that you understand some people lack the ability to think rationally due to their mental illness, then you go on to condemn said people for not thinking rationally. So despite your claims of understanding, it's clear that you don't.
No, apparently PPD usually starts a few weeks later.
And again, you are condemning for not thinking rationally, when there is no way from this article of knowing whether or not she had the ability to do so.
There isn't enough information in this article to know whether she deserves any sympathy or not. If she was deep in the throes of mental illness to the point that she wasn't able to determine right from wrong, she most definitely does deserve sympathy. How do you think she's going to feel when she is able to think rationally again? That would be about the worst feeling ever, knowing that you were so crazy you killed your own child. I feel sorry for someone who has to go through that.
Not everything is someone's fault.
Steve Crichton
Another woman killing her child here. Sure the suicide rate is higher in other countries but for sure the rate of mothers killing their babies is the highest in the world here, For sure.
nath
What are you basing that judgement on?
Steve Crichton
@ Strangerland. I am basing my judgement, not on any statistics I have seen but the fact that cases like this are in the news so often here. It is essentially a culturally/legally accepted practice in Japan but in other countries of the world it is not, so would make headlines day in day out and things would be done to deal with the issue. However we rarely see cases of this nature from other countries in the world. 6 years of observations and sadly counting.
Commodore Shmidlap (Retired)
So you read a Japanese news site and you can extrapolate from the skewed data here-- tragedies are reported on, not ordinary, daily lives where nothing bad has happened-- to the entire rest of the world? Trust me-- in the rest of the world, when this happens, it's reported on. It becomes a national media frenzy just about every time. I don't know how you've managed to miss all that. Here's some news you might have missed: Almost zero Japanese mothers killed themselves and their babies today.
Steve Crichton
I read a lot of International news sites and if this sort happened as frequently as it does here in any other part of the world it would get a lot of coverage. I rarely read of cases like this on news sites from other countries. Not saying it doesnt happen, just saying it is not the everyday occurrence it is here and that is not socially/cuturally/legally acceptable elsewhere. Either way it is a huge problem HERE.
Moderator
Readers, other countries are not relevant to this discussion.
Illyas
I guess if the woman was 9 months pregnant though it would be a non-issue to liberals. Her body, her choice, right?
Thunderbird2
Why should they kill themselves?
Steve Crichton
They kill the baby too my Japanese wife says because they dont want it to be left as a burden to other family members and society. Thats the thinking.
chuichi
So sad and tragic... does Japan need more baby hatches?
If a mother's going to end her own life, at least have the decency to let the innocent baby live on!
misunderstood
Everything happens for a reason. Why this mother did what she did we do not know, also we can't say we wouldn't do it because we are not her. Some where something went wrong and we posters don't know. We can say what ever we want to say or speculate but we DONT know!!!
Derp Man
Her baby died and she's in a coma...Arrest her when she wakes up...If she ever does