SAITAMA (TR) – Saitama Prefectural Police have arrested a couple for allegedly starving their 1-year-old son to death at their residence in Okeagawa City last year, reports the Yomiuri Shimbun (May 16).
Kenshiro Yamabe and his wife Hitomi, both 25, are alleged to have provided insufficient food to son Haruto over an extended period of time.
At the time of his death in October, he was found to weigh around 3.8 kilograms, which is between 30 and 40 percent of what is standard for a child his age, according to police.
The suspects, who have been accused of fatal abandonment as guardians, admit to the allegations. “If he cried, we gave him milk,” one of the suspects was quoted. “If he didn’t, we didn’t give him milk.”
In early October, Haruto was found unconscious in a bedroom of the residence. After being rushed to a hospital, he was confirmed dead.
The suspects have two other boys, aged 3 and 4. However, they appear to not have suffered ill-treatment, police said.
