Saitama woman suspected of abandoning newborn to die at temple 22 years ago

tokyoreporter.com -- Feb 15

A 46-year-old woman is suspected of abandoning her newborn boy to die shortly after she gave birth at a temple in Adachi Ward more than 2 decades ago, police have revealed, reports TBS News.

According to police, the results of a recently conducted DNA analysis on evidence left behind at Nishiarai Daishi temple proved to be a match for the woman, who now lives in Kawaguchi City, Saitama Prefecture.

“I gave birth in a toilet,” the woman told police during voluntary questioning. “After that, I do not recall.”

A woman is suspected of abandoning a her newborn boy to die after giving birth at Nishiarai Daishi temple in 1999 (Twitter)

The incident took place in March 1999, when the woman was living about 200 meters from the shrine. After the DNA match, police reopened what was once considered a cold case.

Police are planning to send the woman to prosecutors on suspicion of negligence by a guardian resulting in death.

However, the woman is not expected to be prosecuted since the statute of limitations has expired.

Feb 15 (FNNプライムオンライン) - 22年前の赤ちゃん遺棄事件で、容疑者の母親を特定した。 1月に警視庁の捜査員から任意同行を求められた際の映像に映る埼玉県の46歳の女。 女は1999年3月、東京・足立区の西新井大師のトイレで赤ちゃんを産み、ゴミ箱に放置して死なせた保護責任者遺棄致死の疑いで書類送検される見通し。 これまで事件は解決していなかったが、警視庁が、遺体とともに捨てられていた遺留物から胎盤血を取り出し、最新のDNA鑑定技術で調べ直したところ、事件から22年を経て、この女が母親であることを突き止めたという。