crime

17-year-old gives birth in toilet; dumps infant by river

46 Comments

Police in Fukui said Thursday they have arrested a 17-year-old girl on suspicion of illegally disposing of a corpse after the body of her newborn baby girl was found on a nearby riverbank.

According to police, the girl gave birth in a toilet at her home at around dawn on Feb 4, the Fukui Shimbun reported. She is accused of killing the infant and then dumping the body on the bank of the Umawatari River.

The body was found by children commuting to school. They saw something that looked like a doll on the riverbank, and told their parents who contacted 110.

Police said the girl was admitted to hospital the same day, and that they waited until she was discharged before arresting her.

The girl, who is unmarried, lives with her parents, but they told police they had been unaware she was pregnant as there appeared to be very little swelling, Fukui Shimbun reported.

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46 Comments
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So where is the "father", no where to be found of course. Girls, don't give yourselves so freely to guys who whisper sweet nothings in your ear. They don't care about you, they just want "access".

-23 ( +17 / -40 )

So where is the "father", no where to be found of course.

Considering the parent didn't know she was pregnant, and they live with the girl, what makes you think the father had any idea?

And how do you know he coerced her? There is nothing in this article to suggest so.

Basically your entire post is based in suppositions born of your own biases.

30 ( +37 / -6 )

That's so sad

10 ( +9 / -0 )

Very sad

9 ( +9 / -0 )

If teens would just keep their legs closed they could honestly avoid the majority of negative live altering dilemmas they find themselves in.

-13 ( +8 / -21 )

Very sad. This is why they need more baby hatches, and people to be educated about them, everywhere. Even though socially being pregnant at that age doesn't make one very popular, to be mild, the young woman deserved the support of family and the system and should have been encouraged to at least give up the baby if she could not keep it. Now she's a murderer on top of everything else. I really don't understand these parents who don't notice a person bringing a baby to full term. There would be plenty of indications even if they didn't notice weight gain and swelling.

4 ( +9 / -5 )

We cannot assume the person who got her pregnant was anyone. Unless she tells, someone, related or unrelated is free. Coerced or willing, a young girl can keep a secret for a very long time.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I mean anyone specific. oops of course it was a male! ;o)

0 ( +2 / -2 )

as a father of two, i find it very hard to believe that the girl's parents had no clue that she was pregnant. unless their family dynamics is so bad that they don't communicate or spend time with each other, then it's impossible to miss. or maybe that's why she got pregnant to begin with...

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Parents don't care enough to even look or talk to their daughter, don't seem surprised when she kills something she doesn't understand. I blame the parents on this.

1 ( +4 / -4 )

Poor things. Both the girl and the baby.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Is there a "planned parenthood" sort of place in Japan like there is in the States for young people to go and try to figure things out? Never heard of one and I've been living here for a looong time...

1 ( +3 / -2 )

First of all, I never said the "father" knew. I'm sure he doesn't. He probably just took advantage then left. Second, who said anything about coercion? I'm sure she gave it up willingly. So, basically, your entire post is based on you putting words in my mouth, then attacking them.

-16 ( +3 / -19 )

What is all this with blaming the father. He probably never knew. She probably didnt tell anyone. The father, the parents or any medical staff. How did the father take advantage. Young people have sex from time to time and maybe if he was told the girl was pregnant he would have helped or wanted to keep the child. The whole thing is tragic. How didnt anyone else notice. The whole episode says so much about Japan. Lack of communication, lack of interaction , everybody ignoring each other, children thought of as being disposable. Its all a disgrace in a modern country.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

"What is all this with blaming the father." @Steve Crichton. It's all coming from just one person so take it with a grain of salt.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Why all the thumbs down? Were my comments too crude? Did I hurt somebody's feelings? What about the pain that infant felt, or the obscenity of school children finding a dead baby? "Don't give yourselves so freely" was that bad advice, or is it acceptable for children to be sexually active and making babies?

-13 ( +3 / -16 )

17 aint a child, its totally fine to have sex and even have kids if she it mature enough, obviously she wasnt but thats more a fault of education / family . and whats that about taking advantage, are you saying women dont enjoy sex? why is that a male advantage? you seem to have some puritan tendencies there mixed in with hearty dose of bias.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

He probably just took advantage then left. Second, who said anything about coercion?

Um, read your first sentence. You just did.

I'm sure she gave it up willingly. So, basically, your entire post is based on you putting words in my mouth, then attacking them.

I'm attacking the words you posted yourself, I don't need to put words in your mouth. The words you used were already disgraceful enough.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

I'm sad for the whole situation. I really want to know, is birth-control a "hush-hush" subject in Japan?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The assumption is that the child was born alive, did any one consider it might have been still born? could this have lead to the girl disposing of the child's body in this manner? either way its a sad situation for all concerned

0 ( +3 / -3 )

So, in your dictionary, take advantage = coercion? Is it not disgraceful that a defenseless human being was disposed of like that? Where's your judgement and condemnation of that?

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

Uncaring parents raise children that make bad decision after bad decision. Looks like that happened here.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I actually have a problem calling newborn infant a human being, it is still that girls business as wrong as it may sound to some people, specially in US. The larger issue is lack of safety education,lack of resources to prevent pregnancy ( day after pill is about 200usd here + requires full medical check up and doctor interview,where its available everywhere in the world over the counter in a pharmacy ) and abortion is even worse and non existent single or young parent support. Would you rather this child to be abused and suffered during its life ?

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Do you hear yourself? If a newborn isn't a human, what is it? It's her business? I'm sure the judge will have a different opinion. Would you rather the child be abused and suffer? Is abuse or murder the only choice for an infant? How about giving it up for adoption?

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

Yes,its woman business what to do with that child and should be that way.

-5 ( +2 / -6 )

Kuribol "If teens would just keep their legs closed they could honestly avoid the majority of negative live altering dilemmas they find themselves in."

If teen males could learn to use a condom to prevent unwanted pregnancies as well as STD's we would be off to damn good start at preventing this very very sad story.

0 ( +1 / -2 )

As usual the same comments when in fact the story gives little info like how did the cops find out to make the arrest and a myriad of other significant details except those to make everyone make comments.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My poor baby daughter died last month, and people do this!

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Don't blame her! Don't blame her parents! Don't blame the boyfriend! Blame a so-called 'modern' society where she felt this was the only way to deal with an unwanted pregnancy.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

@ Alex - Are you saying it's okay for a mother to murder her newborn baby? Until what age is it okay for a mother to murder her child?

1 ( +4 / -4 )

For the person who asked about planned parenthood I have no idea but these past two years I found a few of my night high school students 定時制高校 Taking them. They have no desire to hide them or anything taking them out at the class to take one at a certain time. I never asked how they get them but they do it seems. On the other hand a few days ago one of my students delivered a beautiful baby boy. She was 20. Night school takes 4 years to finish. She took good care not to miss any school so she would have the absences to use to have the baby. She graduates next month and took her exams already, she never said if it was a planned baby or a mistake but she's happy and living with the father! Wishing her lots of luck!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Don't blame her! Don't blame her parents! Don't blame the boyfriend! Blame a so-called 'modern' society where she felt this was the only way to deal with an unwanted pregnancy.

BS. I'm sick of people not holding other people accountable for their actions. She chose to do something she knew was wrong, instead of dealing with the child in another matter. I live on the other side of the planet, and even I know there are baby hatches where she can leave the baby. If her parents were at least mildly supportive, they could have taken her to the hospital to deliver the child, and then found other options to deal with the baby, that don't involve killing it. We're talking about Japan here, not some small village in the middle of Afghanistan.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I'm guilty myself.... comparing Japan to other countries when something bad happens and say 'well its worse' here or there. But going forward I'm getting away from comparing and just concentrate on Japan. Trying to paint Japan in a better light just because it happens less than other places is a waste of time. Addressing Japan's issues is what it should be about.... not shrugging them off because it happens more somewhere else.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

So where is the "father", no where to be found of course.

Peoples are getting wrong on comment of sensei258. I believe Sensei258 means the girl boyfriend who had pregnant her and the comment does not mean the girl father. English is Sensei258's second language and his or her English language was not perfect but peoples should try to understand about what he or her comment was and correct it.

17 years old is too young to be understood about pregnancy even though sexually active at this age. Teenagers need not only sex education also they should be educating about crime of killing new born child. I do not know Government has hot-line for teenagers’ pregnancy counseling service. If they do not have one and then Government should be establish Hot-line for teenagers' pregnancy counseling service. So they can get assistance for early pregnancy termination if the pregnancy was in very early stage. It can prevent from teenage mother killing her new born child. It will save child life and mother as well.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Thanks Chopchop!

Baby hatches are good. Alert parents and teachers would be a help.

The other party to the dead infant's brief existence might not know. The girl herself was clueless. Which suggests a way forward.

While I'm sad the baby is dead, perhaps instead of prison, this young teen could talk to other equally vulnerable girls her age. That may prevent some from not using protection of they're going to be active; And, get those pregnant to a place they have some prenatal care.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

This is so sad... there should definitely be more baby hatches.

If this girl has dropped the baby off at the hatch the baby might still be alive. RIP little baby...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

So where is the "father", no where to be found of course.

"Of course" you don't know WHAT the status of the father is. Stop pretending you do.

First of all, I never said the "father" knew. I'm sure he doesn't. He probably just took advantage then left.

So now you've backpedaled from "of course" to "probably". That's an improvement in that you're finally admitting you don't know a single thing about this couple's relationship. Unfortunately, that admission isn't stopping you from continuing to slander a total stranger.

Why all the thumbs down?

Do I really need to repeat this post again?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Evil girl. I hope she never gets the chance to know the joy of being a mother after this. She killed a baby - her baby, and deserves prison. At 17 she knew exactly what she was doing, and proved herself capable of murder. She deserves prison,and a lot of it.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

This always happened if no parental guidance, but kids now a day are really stubborn they will do what they want to do.... They were acting like they know everything.

.Parents choose to be quiet sometimes to avoid argument inside the house. to less trouble, pretending everything will be fine?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Alex Einz, if the child was born alive, then it's a human being, with full rights as such. Killing a new born is murder. It's not the same thing as an abortion, which would totally be the the mother's personal business. Abortive n us VERY common in Japan. If she had wanted one, she could have easily gotten one. She chose to ignore the obvious until the child was born. Sorry, that's murder and murder us everyone's business.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

From what I've experienced tutoring Japanese high school students, they are indeed children when it comes to these kinds of issues. They are expected to devote themselves to studying for exams, and are pretty innocent of "real life." Violence and sex and other complicated things they see in manga but I don't think it's realistic at all.

Then there is the shame factor. If no one knows about it, it never happened.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

the more i hear these stories and the way women are treated as second class citizens, in some ways im glad i stopped at two boys. having Girls especially in Japan is just not worth the extra stress.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Abortive n us VERY common in Japan. If she had wanted one, she could have easily gotten one

Not really. Its not that easy if you dont have money and dont want anyone to know. She was 17 (or poss 16 when she found out). Where was she going to get 150,000 yen from in a hurry?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sensei258, your post made perfect sense, asking where the Father (of the deceased baby) was.

Strangerland's answer was either deliberately obtuse, or someone still picking up the nuances of the English language.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

So where is the "father", no where to be found of course.

I suspect the "father" might have been the father.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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