Woman Wrongly Arrested for Biting Child Following Dental Mixup

Apr 05, 2024 | News On Japan

Shiga, Apr 05, 2024 (News On Japan) - A woman in her 20s who was wrongfully arrested for biting her one-month-old baby after police mistakenly identified a piece of dental evidence as hers, has won damages against the state.

A court settlement was reached on April 5 between the woman and both the national and prefectural governments.

The woman was charged by Shiga Prefectural Police five years prior for biting and injuring the arm of her one-month-old child. However, subsequent investigations revealed that the dental print used as evidence by the Shiga Prefectural Police belonged to someone else, leading to the withdrawal of the charges. Claiming to have been coerced into a false confession and suffering mental distress, the woman sued the national and Shiga Prefectural governments for approximately 3 million yen in compensation.

Following a court recommendation for settlement, an agreement was reached for the national and prefectural governments to pay a combined total of 1 million yen. While the settlement was concluded, the woman stated, "I do not intend to forgive, as there has been no apology from the interrogating officers." Meanwhile, the Shiga Prefectural Police expressed their deep apologies to the plaintiff.

Source: YOMIURI

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