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Tokyo cops arrest father of infant girl who suffered 14 broken ribs in fatal shaking

Hayato Chuma
Hayato Chuma has been accused in the fatal shaking of his daughter in January

TOKYO (TR) – Tokyo Metropolitan Police have arrested a 40-year-old man in the fatal shaking of his infant girl in Machida City, reports TBS News (Oct. 3).

In January, Hayato Chuma is alleged to have violently shaken his 1-month old daughter, Hikari, such that she suffered 14 broken ribs and brain damage.

Over the following two-month period, the girl was in the hospital in an effectively brain-dead state. During that period, her brain’s ability to function deteriorated until her death in March.

Chuma, who has been accused of assault resulting in death, denies the allegations. “[The allegations] are not factual,” the suspect was quoted by the Machida Police Station.

According to police, the mother of the girl was in the bath of the residence during the incident. When she entered the living room, she found her daughter to not be breathing in her crib and telephoned emergency services.

“Ordinary demeanor”

“It was a cold night, and the parents of the girl, who was in a limp state, carried her down the stairs,” a neighbor of the residence was quoted by the network. “I got that sense since she was not moving at all. As for [Chuma], I was a surprised by his ordinary demeanor.”

Police are continuing the investigation into the case.