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4-year-old girl falls to death from high-rise apartment

24 Comments

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24 Comments
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I don't understand how parents could leave two very young children home alone like that. This is just gross negligence.

16 ( +18 / -2 )

This is why you shouldn't trust the simple window locks. You should buy extra locks and make certain that they are always locked when you have children present.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Take the children with you! Leaving a 4-year-old and an even younger child alone at home is an example of grossly negligent parenting. RIP.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

And another one. RIP.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

This is just gross negligence.

Right.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Why didn't the father take the kids with him? Too lazy? Too much hassle? He should be arrested and sent to prison, but he won't be.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

totally understandable as most people stay in apartments in Japan, parents in Japan trust their to stay home alone and both parents work these days. It's an unfortunate situation but I don't think locking someone up will solve anything. Just extra protection, more locks and education on risks for both kids and parents.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Why do so many Japanese opt to leave little kids at home unsupervised? It is totally irresponsible and just lazy. I’d also have no hesitation in speculating there was a table and chairs next to the balcony.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Another sad tragedy, due to neglect.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

justiceformion charge the father with negligence and ignorance and #lockhimup

Losing a child is enough punishment, actually more punishment than anyone deserves. When your first thought is to lock him up that is pretty cruel.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

You should buy extra locks and make certain that they are always locked when you have children present.

should also put saftey bars over the windows when you have children

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Terribly sad. Not knowing the circumstances, nobody can pass judgement, much less demand the parents be locked up and the younger child placed in an uncaring state home. Seems some people here wish they lived in a police state.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

@letsberealistic

I would never leave my 4 year old and his younger sibling alone for even 30 seconds. Why were they left while the father was out? You can never trust preschoolers.

Yes, this confuses me too. I've read and heard of so many cases, where toddlers were left alone in Japan.

I wouldn't do that, not even for that 30 seconds like you mentioned.

But then, as a contrast, many parents are hugely worried about leaving their elementary/junior high school aged kids by themselves. I know this from my previous experience as a teacher in Japan.

In my personal opinion, depending on the kid, kids above 8 are fine to spend a few hours (not all day) by themselves at home. As long as they can reach their parents by phone/video call, when needed.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I chose to not live above the 2nd floor for this exact reason. Locks are great but why take the risk? You only need to make a mistake once!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

"Police said they are investigating the case, believing the girl may have fallen by accident from the balcony of her family's apartment in the 19th-floor building"

Sigh.

therougou: "Losing a child is enough punishment, actually more punishment than anyone deserves."

No, it's not... not when it was entirely preventable and this happens on a near daily basis here. What's more, what about reparations for the shop she landed on, the cleanup, and the shock of those who may have found the little girl? I know that these are relatively "small" things, but my point is that it is not just enough the parents lost a child. It was criminal neglect, for starters, and how it has affected others must come into play as well. There are reasons that laws are in place not to leave such young children at home alone. The law was broken, death the result. Not punishment enough at all.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

i find it ridiculous that so many people leave their young kids at home alone here! Does this happen in other first world countries too?

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

He should be arrested and sent to prison,

No, he shouldn't be arrested. If anything, he should get the mental help they will need for the ordeal they must be going thru.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

justiceformion charge the father with negligence and ignorance and #lockhimup
-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Gross negligence, they should both be charged with murder

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

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