4-year-old boy who died at home may have been subjected to constant abuse

The Mainichi Shimbun
June 11, 2007
Source: http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20070611p2a00m0na006000c.html

SAITAMA -- A 4-year-old boy who has died at his home here had bruises on his head, face and stomach, leading police to suspect that he was subjected to constant abuse, investigators said.

Local police are questioning the boyfriend of the boy's mother, suspecting that he abused the victim, and are set to conduct an autopsy on his body in a bid to determine the cause of his death.

At about 3 a.m. on Monday, the 23-year-old mother of the boy called a local fire station saying that her son had fallen unconscious and asked for an ambulance. Police officers subsequently pronounced her son dead.

The woman has told investigators that her 26-year-old boyfriend hit her son. As there are numerous bruises on his body, local police said it is highly likely that the woman's boyfriend constantly abused the boy.

The woman was living with the victim and her 6-year-old daughter. Her boyfriend was at their home before she alerted the fire station. (Mainichi)

June 11, 2007