crime

Male nurse arrested for taking kids swimming without parents' permission

58 Comments

Police in Fujioka, Gunma Prefecture, have arrested a 29-year-old man for taking two siblings swimming without their parents' permission.

According to police, the man, who has been named as Takahiro Nomura, is a male nurse at a municipal hospital in Fujioka and a passing acquaintance of the children, who live in his neighborhood. Fuji TV reported Monday that Nomura has been charged on abducting a minor after he allegedly took the 10-year-old girl and her 8-year-old brother swimming at a municipal pool on several occasions.

Police say Nomura took the children swimming three times this month, each time on a Saturday, with each trip lasting around four hours. Nomura allegedly made the children promise not to tell their parents where they were going, police said.

The children's parents later learned about the trips and contacted the police. Investigators say that Nomura has confessed to the charges.

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58 Comments
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Why does it seem that there is more to the story?

19 ( +22 / -3 )

So, your children are away for 4 hours and you don't know and don't care where they have been. Call me overprotective, but I find this highly irresponsible.

27 ( +31 / -4 )

Sasoriza....hence my comment. Often times articles like this are only a tip of the ice-berg, people make comments, ask for follow-ups and everyone get's left hanging.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Wonder if the kids thought they were being kidnapped?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I don't see the problem here. A nurse, acquaintance of the family, took the kids swimming. Okay, what am I missing here? Plus the parents didn't know where their 10 and 8 year old children were for 4 hours? They should be charged with child neglect.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Farmboy- you seem pretty ok with the premise of a stranger secreting children away to swimming pools and making the kids promise not to tell.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

hereforever

I don't see the problem here. A nurse, acquaintance of the family, took the kids swimming.

He wasn't an acquaintance of the family. Most likely he just new the kids by sight because they played near/around the hospital where her worked and I'm willing to bet that the parents didn't know anything about him or even know that he existed. The parents not having any idea what their kids were doing for such long stretches is inexcusable, but the onus is on the adult (the nurse) to get permission from the parents to take the kids anywhere. It's common sense.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

hopefully good intentions by the male nurse and not some pedophile. But a real idiot for thinking their parents would not find out at some point.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

and the police should charge the parents with neglect and endangering a child because they had no idea what their children were doing for four hours.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

This is not news.

-4 ( +8 / -12 )

What confuses me is that people are prepared to accept that the parents are grossly negligent and didn't notice their children were missing for 4 hours three times... but can't accept the much simpler and more reasonable explanation that the parents are simply lying about giving permission for him to take the kids out somewhere.

As for the confession... yeah, that means next to nothing in Japan, it just means he cracked under stress and threats and decided to take the plea bargain.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

people keep saying this is not news and wondering what is wrong with this...a grown man is taking children away for around 4 hours and has done it multiple times..it doesn't matter where he took them at all..what matters here is they were taken without parents knowing and he TOLD the children not to tell their parents where they had been! If he is telling the kids not to tell mommy and daddy it means he knew he was doing something wrong. This is news because this man basically kidnapped these kids.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

2 things bother me about this story. First thing, why bother saying he's a male nurse. He's a man who's a nurse. Unless a male nurse's duties are significantly different from a female nurse, then a nurse is a nurse. Second, how does a 10-year-old and an 8-year-old leave their house for 4 hours. Period. Regardless if the nurse did anything wrong, if my kids were that age and they disappeared for 4 hours, then there definitely wouldn't be a second or third time.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Nomura allegedly made the children promise not to tell their parents where they were going, police said.

If this is true, it is a grievous wrong. I can't think of any situations where it is appropriate to ask children to keep secrets from their parents, certainly not a situation like this.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

4 hours a go and the parents didn't even notice where the kids were!?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

gogogo

4 hours a go and the parents didn't even notice where the kids were!?

I do not understand. When I was a child, I usually go out and play for more than 4 hours on Saturdays, without my parents watching me all the time. The same thing goes with all of my friends. How many of the readers here had childhood under constant surveillance of their parents?

7 ( +8 / -1 )

A lot of kids those ages play in a nearby park or at their school on weekends without parental supervision. My 8 year old does it here in Tokyo. He always goes to meet other kids (he calls and makes plans in front of us) and always has his keitai and he checks in when he arrives and before he leaves to come home. Hes responsible, punctual we trust him. Therefore, I dont find anything mysterious / negligent about children going out for hours on a Saturday without the parents hovering about. However, to swim you need suits, towels and maybe goggles and caps...did the kids sneak those out and back in each time? Theyd be wet after use. A "familiar stranger" could slowly build rapport and do this I suppose but I dont see how the parents would ask about their day and where they went etc and find out sooner. There are obviously some key points left out of the story (or not known yet) and this guy definately has some nefarious motives. Sad for the children.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Exactly. What kind of overprotective places are you from? I'd be out for 5-6 hours, then come home to eat, head outside again and stay out until 8ish at that age. And I didn't have a transponder (although occasionally a timer with a countdown to dinnertime)

3 ( +5 / -2 )

This story is really peculiar, and missing way too many details to pass a fast judgement. Swimming is no walk into the dark area of a park. You need a swimsuit, swimming cap, towel, usually goggles, and they're at least damp when it's done. So, unless this municipal pool rents these items, the kids were either bringing and/or supplied their own (complicit), or this guy supplied and/or stored the items (possibly creepy, but we need more info).

In any case, they accompanied him to the pool several times, and apparently the parents didn't notice their absence, a chlorine or unusually fresh shampoo smell, swimming pool eyes, etc. And what's the headline significance that he's a male nurse? Please JT, say it's not rooted in some stereotyped notion that nursing is only for women.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@ CH3CHO / C2H4O whatever

In most of the case you have tell your parents where you are going and with whom you are playing. I know in Japan lots of kids play without parent's supervision but this sets an example of bad parenting or at least irresponsible attitude. Parents must know what there kids are upto, with whom they are playing (kids learn most things from friends)

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Establish trust. Change together?

Textbook grooming

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Get real - exactly. Most likely a pedophile.

10 and 8 year old kids missing for 4 hrs at a time. Not great parenting there

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

the decision is more than right. Events follow, until you can talk about all subjects, the risks are too great for children. he was a nurse had to have the responsibility to know which children are most vulnerable.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Good thing he didn't buy them ice cream. That would have brought additional charges.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

This is weird! He was an aquaintence of the kids? Where were the kids supposed to be during those times? What were the parents doing? We're they not aware of their children's whereabouts? We're the children left in his care? There has to be more to this.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Yes, we always assume the worst. Nobody can trust anybody since those news make it headlines. Where's the common communication gone? Does every fart have to be reported to the police? Nobody can talk to anybody without a mediator anymore? Have we become a bunch of scary-but-noisy rabbits? Oh how I miss the 70s and 80s where life was more simple. And no smartphone to read up on news like this. Can you imagine?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Why is this a matter for the police?

Couldn't the parents talk with the male nurse?

Or is there, as Yubaru suggests, something more to this story?

3 ( +5 / -2 )

He wasn't an acquaintance of the family.

Since you seem to know the family or the guy, please fill in the details about how it happened not once, not twice, but three times? Something is strange about that too.

I for one am looking forward to you clearing this up. Thanks!

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I do not understand. When I was a child, I usually go out and play for more than 4 hours on Saturdays, without my parents watching me all the time.

Like Jeff Ogrisseg says, where did the kids get all the stuff to go to the pool? Was the guy lending the kids all the swimgear, then taking it home, washing it, and lending it to them again the next time? If they are bringing it from home and coming back with wet hair, the parents should realise something was up.

This is pure speculation, but methinks this guy probably gets a kick out of "helping" kids get changed in the locker room. It definitely is a police matter.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Oh how I miss the 70s and 80s where life was more simple

The 70s and 80s were open season for pedophilia. The phenomenon as a topic was suppressed due to the privileged status of many of the perpetrators.

Today, information is instant and free. People are informed of the issues and risks. The privileged are no longer protected to the same extent, and kids are safer as a result. I'll be the first to admit though that parents' fears have gone too far in some countries, with the banning of photography and videos (by parents) of children's activities, and other such paranoia.

However, the man in this story at best overstepped very important boundaries in taking the kids somewhere. Adverse inference is invited by the nature of the activity, and compounded by an insistence that the children keep it all secret from their parents.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

What difference does it make if the nurse was acquainted with the parents or not? He tooks the kids without permission and the parents obviously felt something was peculiar about his actions, enough so to call the police. Not so fond of the parenting skills here, but at least they showed enough concern (albeit after the fact) to follow up.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

papasmurf: I agree.

And as far as the subject of parental neglect goes, I think it would be pretty easy for a 10 year old to get away with telling her parents that they're going to play with Taro and Jiro at the park. Thing is, after a few times, for whatever reason the parents find out they're lying and voila. .....or did it ever ocurr to anyone that maybe they told the parents they were actually going go to the pool with Taro and Jiro and their parents??? Of course, that lie wouldn't hold for too long either, and thus, the police are contacted. I actually applaud these parents for taking action before something worse happened.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Not too sure what happened but a grown man, not of the family, taking these kids "swimming?" Just kind of makes you wonder, why he wants to be with these kids. My guess, a dirty, low down pedophile!! Stupid parents!!

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Definitely sounds like a lot has been left out. I don't think it's a big deal that the kids were out for 4 hours w/o the parents knowing where they were (like others have said, some of us did it when we were young). Why was he taking them swimming? Did the kids complain to him that his parents don't take them anywhere and he thought he was being nice and taking them swimming? I do find it odd that the guy would tell the kids not to tell. Did he say it cuz he knew he'd get into trouble? Or maybe he didn't want the kids to get into trouble? Who knows. Think we need more details...

1 ( +1 / -0 )

he allegedly took the 10-year-old girl and her 8-year-old brother swimming at a municipal pool on several occasions.

Where is the crime in this ? The age for kids to go to the pool on their own is 6 no ? On week-days, my local Summer pool in Osaka has like 99% of customers aged 6 to 15 and they all come without their parents. The whole pool staff takes care of them as if that was some part of school club. The other public pools also cater to adults, but a big part of their activity is welcoming the kids.

Nomura allegedly made the children promise not to tell their parents where they were going, police said.

So they didn't go to the pool to swim ? Or it's not their local pool and he drove them far away ?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Perhaps the nurse felt sorry for the kids and took them swimming. It would seem that the kids are not the parents main priority.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

wontondJun. 25, 2013 - 02:47PM JST

Perhaps the nurse felt sorry for the kids and took them swimming. It would seem that the kids are not the parents main priority.

You're joking right? This guy's got "Diddler" written all over his actions.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Yep, he's a man, so let's all assume he was a pedophile.

Back home, the 10 year old neighbour's son quoted his mother "You can go swimming with your friend if it's his mother taking you, but not his father". To the beach, across the road from where we lived. Because I'm an obvious pedophile. Coming from a chain-smoking mum covered in tattoos. We'd take extra precautions to make sure our car was locked.

Same went for taking my son to the park. He's half-Japanese so it's pretty obvious that the Caucasian guy (me) watching over him is a pedophile. If any kids said "Hello" to me, I'd cringe and hesitate to say "Hello"back . Pedophobia is that bad. Every male is an instant suspect.

I thought Japan was great. Kids on the street talk to me and nobody glares at me if I reply. Some parents even smile.

That said, the guy in question may be a ped. Doesn't say whether he did anything inappropriate

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Folks it's a JT article, which means it could have come from anywhere, there are no links to any "mainstream" press so who knows??????

2 ( +2 / -0 )

ReformedBasher: Valid points about pedophobia, but the thing that is obviously suspicious about this guy is that he specifically told the kids not to tell their parents about going to the pool with him. There are so many things wrong with taking kids somewhere (movies, museum, etc.) without their parents' consent, let alone a pool where the kids have to change their clothes.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

I feel quite uneasy because many people here implicitly assume,

Parents should control children all the time, and

Children should not trust anyone in the neighborhood, except their parents.

I think this kind of philosophy may result in lack of interpersonal skills of the children and the break down of the neighborhood community.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

in order to persuade kids that young to go swimming, you need a big candy in store. Nomura's must be huge.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

@Tahoochi

Like I say, we don't know his motives. But I'd agree that it does seem odd and I'd be concerned myself if some guy did this with my kids.

At least the kids were returned safely. Could be a lot worse. Until facts present themselves, I won't judge this guy aside from a possible lack of sense. If the kids told the parents about the pool, they'd probably mention any other strange behaviour. 10 and 8 years old, old enough to know and tell if they guy was doing something off - the parents and police probably asked a lot of questions also. So if he is a ped, the story is not presenting enough facts.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Is something missing from the story? It sounds strange to me, both the action and the reaction.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

He promised them not to tell where he took them right? What makes you think that they told the truth about the pool? Yeah what about all the swimming gear? Probably was their sugar daddy for a bit and got busted.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Look where the article originates from; which means it could have come from anywhere, there are no links to any "mainstream" press so who knows, but I will bet anyone that there will be no followup either.

Moderator: All mainstream media carried this story, so your comment makes no sense at all.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Sounds like the kids were using the man to go swimming, maybe they conned him or thought they were getting away with something. Kids can be cunning and devious, and adults are just as stupid. I smell a TV drama or a sitcom in the making.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Parents should be more careful .Don't treat such case as a fun,be serious,there have lot of chance to occur any big accidents.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

after all is said and done the parents should be very careful.the parents should train children not to trust strangers. parents must attend some Training/workshop on the subject of child rearing.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

4 hours a go and the parents didn't even notice where the kids were!?

The article does not actually state where the children were meant to be at the time, or where the parents' thought they were.

When we visit my in-laws in inaka, I am happy that my daughter is able to play around the streets quite freely with her cousins. Everyone knows each other and I am not concerned about her being taken "swimming".

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"Nomura has been charged on ( with ) abducting a minor... Nomura took the children swimming three times this month"

Wow, three abductions in one month!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

This article is totally empty. Nothing to judge or comment. It can be both critical or paranoid.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I tried to see other articles. The place is their nearby pool public pool. Usually the kids may walk or cycle to it with other kids.

or did it ever ocurr to anyone that maybe they told the parents they were actually going go to the pool with Taro and Jiro and their parents???

Yes, I think the parents knew that they went swimming as they had to bring back wet swim suits. But they didn't know a man was taking them there in his car (and not going to swim with them). That's what they complain about, and the police say they try to find why he was transporting them like that. But maybe he was just idle and was giving a lift to kids he knew, and the "secret" was some kind of joke. I can understand the parents worry and want some explanation, but primo, do they need the cops ? And segundo, is that worth national news ?

How many of the readers here had childhood under constant surveillance of their parents?

Absolutely. At 8, I was leaving the house after the last day of school, on June 20 . Parents I didn't hear about. We had no telephone. Yep, I don't mean no cellphone for each kid but no phone at all in the villages, in the 70's and 80's. My parents would see me again only on July 14th in the morning as I was selling patriotic crap (after the fireworks ruin, I needed a refill of cash). And I disappeared again with the herd of about 100 wild kids sharing those woods all Summer. Most of us survived. And a girl my age, she was gang-raped and killed at 15. The parents knew where she was, she was coming back home in her cousin's car (yes, he did that and pretended she never showed up). Even in those old times, some families were very stricter. Posh people (or people that wanted to pass for posh). They made their kids go to church and to take music lessons all the time. Oh, they suggested I did too but I said "Not with that teacher. He is so creepy, yuck, I don't even want to walk on the side of his dungeon, Gilles de Rais..." and I got slapped for saying that aloud in front of all the church ladies that worshiped "the artist". Then I got slapped the other cheek, because the church spinsters didn't know de Rais, so I had to explain concretely and I had to conclude "well, he's like our bishop... yes, it's true, that's what they all say in bars at night, as drunk people can't lie, you should drink too... ". He was arrested 3 years after. The musician. The bishop was only promoted and transfered. That was for using special methods for piano, even on preschoolers. Both. My point on that long OT is the problem of pedophiles is not simply about knowing where your kid is.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

At least the kids weren't hurt.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

You know there is nothing on the internet on this article other than what JT has written here??????

Moderator: This is the 4th time you have posted this and it has been removed three times already. As we told you, all mainstream media covered this. Your insinuation is insulting. If you post this again, you will be suspended from the discussion board.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

JT continues to delete these comments which goes to show that they left their journalistic integrity in the garbage. There is no corroborating evidence that shows that this even happened and could be nothing more than fiction.

No other source on the net, or in Japanese press shows this story anywhere.

People you are being fooled, it could very well be a lie.

Moderator: You can have 48 hours off from posting. During this time, please refamiliarize yourself with the rules of the discussion board. In particular, please note that the moderator's decision is final at all times.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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