Woman, 23, held for kicking 1-yr-old daughter to death in Saitama

Friday 05th September, 04:08 PM JST

SAITAMA —

A 23-year-old woman was arrested on Friday for beating her 1-year-old daughter to death at their apartment in Saitama. Kazusa Kondo was arrested for allegedly kicking her daughter Kotone repeatedly in the stomach on Thursday night.

According to police, the suspect’s father, who lives near the apartment, visited the apartment around 8:30 p.m. and found Kotone unconscious and his daughter in another room. He called an ambulance and Kotone was taken to hospital where she died about two hours later.

The suspect, who divorced in April, lived with Kotone, Kotone’s twin brother and their 3-year-old brother at the apartment. She was quoted by police as saying, “She never looked me in the face. Whenever I tried to get close to her, she would suddenly start crying. I just wanted her to stop, but I lost my temper.”

Latest 15 of 41 Total Comments Show All

HonestDictator at 01:18 AM JST - 6th September

This is just sad. Another child dying by the hands of the so called "adult" who bore her.

Not much I can see a 1 year old doing that drove this woman (she certainly can't be called a "mother") over the edge. This woman should have nightmares of her child for the rest of her life. Kicking a 1 yr old in the stomach??? wtf!?!? Talk about insanity!
OgieDoggie at 01:46 AM JST - 6th September

As parents it all hurts our hearts when we read this stuff especially when they are so young. I feel for the divorced father and the grandparents (who nothing was mentioned about)

May this little girls soul rest in peace.
farhaan at 04:08 AM JST - 6th September

I wish she gets death sentence but victims innocent twin brother and 3 yrs old brother comes in the scene who will suffer without parents for their no fault. It is very difficult to decide the kind of punishment she should get. Though her lawyer would have this as a very good excuse to save her from a hard punishment.
rjdsr at 04:22 AM JST - 6th September

farhaan,

You cannot get the death sentence in Japan from killing only one person. Read the law.
SiouxGirl at 05:10 AM JST - 6th September

Are there no programs that offer support to single parents? Her stress level must've been off the charts, which is no excuse. Other single parents under extreme stress, usually financial, seem to make it through one way or another. One of my friends has a solution to this problem: sterilize all children at birth. When they want to start their own families, they need to go through an extensive process like adoption - lots of counseling, forms and home visits. If they pass, the sterilization process is reversed. Yeah, I know - never going to happen. My friend K. says, "Parenting is the most important job we'll ever do but we receive almost no training for it."
CavemanLawyer at 07:38 AM JST - 6th September

Is Saitama that bad, or are all of the journalists handing this stuff to JT located in Saitama and mostly going through police reports there?

--Cirroc
memyselfI at 12:35 PM JST - 6th September

Very sad story, the sad part is the three year old boy will have no mother. I am not going to critize her.
stanoue at 12:47 PM JST - 6th September

This freaks me out - I shared the elevator at my apartment block yesterday with a seriously stressed British mother with 2 toddlers and a baby in a pram. She screamed at the boys twice and whacked one of them around the face - in front of me and in the short span of a lift ride. Maybe I should have made more an effort to work out where she was living. 'Cause this is something I can totally see her doing.
Crimsonsil at 08:39 PM JST - 6th September

man, I just thought about my little niece (approx. 1 and 1/2). She can't even talk yet. Being kicked to death is pretty messed up in itself, but being kicked to death at that age....
WilliB at 08:20 PM JST - 7th September

" Is Saitama that bad, or are all of the journalists handing this stuff to JT located in Saitama and mostly going through police reports there? "

No idea, but but this summer, Saitama is certainly in the news a lot, and not in a good way.
Youdontknow at 09:16 PM JST - 7th September

Saitama needs a brick wall building around it to keep everyone out and safe!
dennis0bauer at 03:45 PM JST - 8th September

i hope the investigator will kick her in the stomach every time she does not look him in the eyes.

What is wrong with these people!
akuma1985 at 01:14 PM JST - 9th September

always saitama.
Blue_Tiger at 07:03 AM JST - 10th September

Lock this woman up and toss the key.
illsayit at 09:11 PM JST - 11th September

The father should be held responsible as much as the mother, if not more. This year divorced? That isnt even time for support programs to kick in....3 kids under 3? A 3yo and twins isnt easy for most people to handle alone. This husband father should be held responsible too, I feel for the mother, even though what she did is inconceivable to me.