HYOGO (TR) – Hyogo Prefectural Police on Wednesday arrested a 48-year-old housewife in Nishinomiya City for attempting to kill her husband by poisoning his alcohol, reports the Sankei Shimbun (Mar. 10).
Earlier this month, Fusako Okawa is alleged to have added methanol to sake consumed by her husband Hiroaki, a 59-year-old company employee.
Okawa, who has been charged with attempted murder, admits to adding methanol to the beverage. “But I did not attempt to kill him,” she is quoted by police in denying the charges.
On the evening of March 6, Hiroaki became sick and visited a hospital in Kobe’s Chuo Ward. Thereafter, his condition quickly deteriorated. The following day, medical staff reported to police that a patient had very likely been poisoned with methanol.
Hiroaki is currently unconscious and in critical condition.
Methanol is a fuel alcohol often used in stoves. Typical symptoms experienced after consuming the liquid include labored breathing and loss of eyesight, according to the Mainichi Shimbun (Mar. 9).
Police are now investigating whether the couple had experienced any problems within their marriage.
