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Miyagi: Man kills son before attempting to take own life

Apr 02, 2019 (tokyoreporter.com) - A 39-year-old man allegedly killed his 7-year-old son at their residence in Sendai City before attempting to take his own life, police said last week, reports the Sankei Shimbun.

At around 7:30 a.m. on March 28, Yoshinori Hishinuma, of no known occupation, telephoned emergency services, saying, “My child is dead in his room.”

Emergency personnel arriving at the residence in Aoba Ward found Keishi, a first-year elementary school student, collapsed inside. The boy was later confirmed dead at a hospital, according to the Sendai-Kita Police Station.

Upon the arrival of personnel, Hishinuma had several stab wounds to his side, an indication to police that he attempted to take his own life. “I killed my son and I, too, wanted to die,” the suspect was quoted by police in admitting tot he allegations. “I strangled [him] and then I stabbed [myself].”

The results of an autopsy revealed that the boy died due to strangulation. Police suspect that Hishinuma killed his son at around 11:00 p.m. the day before he telephoned emergency services.

Hishinuma shares the residence with his wife, 39, another son, 9, his 5-year-old daughter. Several hours before the incident is believed to have taken place, the family ate dinner together. His wife then went out. She returned at around 7:30 a.m. the next day.

Police are investigating the circumstances that led to the incident.

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