Society

Suspicious man reported in area where Niigata girl was slain

May 13 (Japan Times) - A suspicious man in black clothes was repeatedly seen near the site where a 7-year-old girl was found dead Monday in Niigata, local officials said Saturday.

Tamaki Omomo is believed to have been murdered on the same day her body was found on the train tracks.

She told a friend earlier in the day that she had been approached by a man in black clothes and sunglasses while on her way to school.

The police have been investigating that lead.

According to an education board official, a man wearing black clothes and a black mask was seen on a street talking to himself near her school on Tuesday afternoon.

On Wednesday evening, a junior high school girl was chased by a man whom she described as in his 50s, on a street about 2 km from Omomoâ€™s school.

She also described the man as wearing black clothes, the official said.

According to a police autopsy, Omomo was strangled. Her body was found by the railroad tracks after being struck by a train on Monday night.

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