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Kyoto cops: Woman, 90, with dementia dies after assault by son

An elderly woman with dementia died after she was assaulted by her son at their residence in Sakyo Ward (TBS News)
An elderly woman with dementia died after she was assaulted by her son at their residence in Sakyo Ward (TBS News)

KYOTO (TR) – An elderly woman with dementia has died after she was assaulted by her son because she hit him with a pillow, reports TBS News (May 6).

On Wednesday morning, Saginaka Toshige, 63, allegedly straddled his 90-year-old mother Yoshi and punched her in the face two or three times, resulting in such injuries as a hip fracture, at their apartment in Sakyo Ward.

Prior to the incident, the woman whacked the suspect’s head with a pillow in his sleep. She was said to be clearly conscious after the attack.

However, the suspect found his mother unresponsive the next morning and called authorities, saying she was unconscious and not breathing, the Sankei Shimbun reported (May 6).

Her death, caused by hemorrhagic shock, was confirmed at the scene, Nippon News Network reported (May 7).

Saginaka was once the head of a neighborhood association, but stepped down and became vice president to look after his mother, according to a neighbor.

A 65-year-old male neighbor said Saginaka discussed his mother’s dementia before. “He seemed pretty determined to quit his job and focus on providing nursing care for her, so I can’t believe things turned out this way,” the neighbor said.

Police are investigating the case as inflicting bodily injury resulting in death, determining that murderous intent cannot be recognized.