KANAGAWA (TR) – Police in Fujisawa City have arrested a 39-year-old woman for the attempted murder of her 3-year-old daughter, reports TBS News (Aug. 25).
At around 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, unemployed Fumie Sonoda allegedly attempted to suffocate her daughter, Ayano, by hugging her with extreme force and pressing against the child’s face inside their apartment in the Tsujido-motomachi area.
The young girl was rushed to a hospital, where she remains unconscious.
The incident was brought to light when Sonoda’s mother, who was visiting the apartment at the time, witnessed the attack and immediately contacted the police. Officers arrived and arrested Sonoda at the scene.
Prior to the incident, the suspect had reportedly confided in her mother about feeling stressed and struggling with childcare.
Upon her arrest, Sonoda initially told investigators, “I thought about dying together with my daughter.”
However, she has since partially denied the allegations, telling police, “I admit that I hugged her tightly, but I did not intend to kill her.”
