Woman, common-law husband, male friend arrested over fatal abuse of 4-year-old boy

Dec 26, 2017 | News On Japan

Dec 26, 2017 (Japan Today) - Police in Minoh, Osaka Prefecture, have arrested a 26-year-old woman, her 24-year-old common-law husband and his 20-year-old male friend on suspicion of killing the woman's four-year-old son.

According to police, the woman, Mai Tsutsui, called 110 at around 2:20 a.m. Monday and said her son, Ayumu, wasn't breathing, Fuji TV reported. Police went to the apartment and found the boy lying on his bed, unconscious. He was taken to hospital where he was confirmed dead.

Police said doctors informed them that Ayumu had at least 10 bruises on his face and body.

The woman lives in a municipal housing unit with her common-law husband, Shogi Matsumoto, his friend Toshio Okura, Ayumu and her two-year-old son. Police said the two-year-old also had bruises on his body.

Neighbours were quoted by local media as saying that they would often hear the sound of children crying coming from the apartment in October and November.

Police said Matsumoto and Okura have admitted hitting Ayumu on Sunday night as a means of disciplining him, and said they knew the boy might die. They also said they hit him in front of Tsutsui. However, police said she has denied abusing her son.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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