KANAGAWA (TR) – Kanagawa Prefectural Police have arrested a woman over the alleged killing of her son at their home in Ebina City on Sunday, reports NHK (Dec. 30).
She is also suspected of killing her two daughters. Based on the circumstances at the scene, police are treating the case as a murder-attempted suicide, reports NHK (Dec. 30).
On Monday night, police accused Atsuko Hayashi of murder in the death of her son, 9-year-old Reio. During questioning, she admitted to hitting and killing him at around 3:30 p.m. the day before.
On Sunday night, the three children — Reio and daughters Riko, 15, and Mariko, 13 — were found collapsed and bleeding from their heads inside the residence. All three were later confirmed dead.
At the time of his discovery, Hayashi was apparently attempting suicide. Police found her trying to hang herself with a rope.
Police are continuing the investigation, including whether she was behind the deaths of both Riko and Mariko.
According to the Ebina City Board of Education, the family contacted a clinical psychologist at the elementary school the son attended for a “child-rearing consultation.”
A person who knows the family tells TBS News (Dec. 31), “She let my children play with her until it got dark in the evening. I only have the impression that she was a good mother.”
