KANAGAWA (TR) – A 29-year-old man in custody over the alleged abduction of a disabled girl last week carried out the crime by walking with her for more than 10 kilometers to his residence, police have revealed, reports TV Asahi (July 25).
At around 2:30 p.m. on July 20, Eiichiro Harada, of no known occupation, allegedly abducted the girl, 15, from shopping center Terrace Mall Shonan, located in Fujisawa City, while she was with her family.
On Wednesday night, police found the girl, who suffers from a severe mental disability, at the residence of the suspect in Yokohama City’s Konan Ward. She was unharmed, police said previously.
In the latest development, police have revealed that Harada is believed to have walked with the girl from the shopping center to his residence, a distance of 15 kilometers.
Harada, who was sent to prosecutors on suspicion of abducting a minor on Friday, denies the allegations. “When I first met her, I didn’t know she was 15,” the suspect was quoted by police.
The girl, who also lives in Yokohama, attends a special needs school. At around 4:00 p.m. on the day of the abduction, her family lodged a missing persons report with police.
An examination of security camera footage at the mall showed the suspect pushing a bicycle as he walked with the girl.
Police suspect that Harada targeted the girl after became separated from her family at the shopping center for a short period.
