A one-year-old girl died after she was hit by a car in the parking lot of a swimming club in Onojo, Fukuoka Prefecture, on Saturday.
According to police, the incident occurred at around 3:30 p.m. The victim, Rinka Sasaki, suffered extensive head injuries and was taken to hospital where she died about one hour later.
The driver of the car, a 43-year-old woman, told police she had just dropped off her daughter at the swimming club and was leaving the parking lot when the the accident occurred. She was quoted as saying she didn’t see the child. Police said they are considering charging the woman, who is a school teacher, with negligent driving resulting in death.
Rinka had come to the swimming club with her sibling and mother. Police are investigating to see why she was walking in the car park alone at the time.
© Japan Today
16 Comments
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Spidey
Charging the driver when she didn't even see the small child!?
How about charging the parent of the child with negligence instead!?
Police... the driver committed no crime! Don't you think she feels bad enough?
S
since1981
Why is she going to a swimming club in the middle of a worldwide pandemic?
Joel Tucci
It never ceases to amaze me how many people I see walking with toddlers who are not holding their hands at all times here. Toddlers run out into traffic, it’s what they do, it’s your job as a parent to hold their hands at all times wherever there are cars around.
Pukey2
That was my first thought too.
Exactly. Many parents here seem to lack awareness of any possible dangers of being hit by cars or cycles. I've seen so many let their young kids run around and even cross the roads by themselves. A simply 'Abunai' doesn't help.
browny1
2nd such story on JT this week.
Last time i posted like - "we don't know all the details yet, but wtf is a 1 year old walking alone in a car park"?
The negligence of some parents concerning their little kids safety is simply shocking.
Let's await further info, but sadly the girl is never coming back and the driver's life is ruined - probably because of slack parenting.
John Beara
Social distance perhaps? Didn't hold his hand. RIP. Can't really blame that poor women who drove the car.
Bugle Boy of Company B
I heard that the Chinese virus does not survive in water. So, counterintuitively, swimming pools are “fine”.
Mr Kipling
When will a large number of Japanese parents learn that car parks are NOT good play areas?
rgcivilian1
Tragic all the way around, however regardless unless there is clear negligence from the school teacher, mom driver committing this as intentional then yes proceed with charges, but this doesn't fit the model of a 43 yr school teacher/mom w children at all. ironic how we are legally bound to walk our pets with leashes and kids can roam freely without parental supervision. Perhaps if the deceased child's parent was more responsible and less careless then we wouldn't be discussing this article openly. All I can add is when our kids were youngsters, we held them tight at all times. Today we have 2 dogs and though on leashes, when cars are passing by we all stop until all clear and continue the walk. Irresponsible parent should be the one charged despite the loss of the child as being enough. Parents need to be brought to justice to protect the kids/ future of Japan.
smithinjapan
"Rinka had come to the swimming club with her sibling and mother. Police are investigating to see why she was walking in the car park alone at the time."
Well, then, investigate charging the MOTHER for negligence, not the poor lady who was driving when a 1-year-old toddled (if she was even walking) in front of the car. Automobile laws need to change here.
Strangerland
This is why you drive slow in parking lots.
They aren’t roads.
Sad story for the family of the girl and the driver as well.
miss_oikawa
Omg. Horrific. How on earth can you let a 1 year old roam around a car park by themselves...
602miko
I'm not blaming her that's a parking lot. But where's the child parent's ?
sir_bentley28
This is what the police should be focusing on. A 1 year old is barely visible in the front of a car (depending on the distance between the baby and the car) And like everyone here, why oh why for the love of all things would you not hold the hand of a 1 year old in a parking lot? The parent has 100% responsibility when crossing the road, walking on the sidewalk or even in a parking lot with a baby just starting out to walk! Such a shame on the laws of Japan.
garypen
Putting aside that it's just something you heard on the Internet, even if it were true, the water is only in the pool itself. Everywhere else in the facility there is air and solid surfaces, all of which can carry and transmit the virus quite well.
Mirai Hayashi
why does this keep happening? Why are parents so stupid!?