It has been six years since the incident in which 19 people were killed at a facility for people with intellectual disabilities in Sagamihara City in 26 days.

A memorial service will be held at the facility reconstructed at the site, and general flower offerings will be accepted from the afternoon.

July 26, 2016 It has been six years since the incident in which 19 residents were killed at the prefectural facility for the mentally handicapped "Tsukui Yamayurien" in Sagamihara City.



The building that became the site was demolished and then rebuilt last year on a smaller scale, with 50 people living there.



On the morning of the 26th, a memorial service will be held at the gymnasium of the facility, and the bereaved families, the families of the residents, the prefecture and the people involved in the facility will attend and offer a silent prayer to the victims.



In addition, the flower stand in front of the "Monument of Requiescats" with the names of seven of the victims engraved with the intention of the bereaved family will accept flowers from the general public from 1:30 pm to 5 pm.



Satoshi Uematsu, a 32-year-old convict on death row, who was sentenced to death in this case, has now applied to the Yokohama District Court for a retrial.

This case

The incident happened six years ago before dawn on July 26th.



At Tsukui Yamayurien, a facility for people with intellectual disabilities in Kanagawa Prefecture, in Sagamihara City, 19 people were killed by being stabbed with blades one after another, and 26 people including staff were seriously injured.



Immediately after the incident, a former employee of the facility, Satoshi Uematsu, 32, was arrested at a nearby police station and subsequently charged.



Immediately after his arrest, Uematsu convict on death row repeatedly made discriminatory claims such as "Persons with disabilities make only unhappiness" and "I wanted to kill people with disabilities who could not communicate."



In a March ruling, the Yokohama District Court pointed out that "the experience of working at a facility has led to the belief that people with severe disabilities are unhappy and that their families and surroundings are also unhappy." ..



He then sentenced him to death, saying, "The consequences of killing as many as 19 people are incomparably significant in comparison to other cases."



A lawyer appealed, but he withdrew it and the death penalty was confirmed, but in April, he requested the Yokohama District Court to retrial = redo the trial.

Reconstructed as two Yamayuri gardens A new life

At the time of the incident, about 150 people with severe intellectual disabilities lived at Tsukui Yamayurien, which was the site of the incident.



Most of the buildings were demolished after the incident.



Initially, the prefecture had a policy of rebuilding the facility to the same size, but disability groups and others disagreed that it should be a small facility rooted in the community.



On the other hand, the users' families said, "I'm asking the facility because it's not accepted in the area," or "I want you to rebuild it on the same scale." We have decided to rebuild a facility with a capacity of about 60 people, which is less than half of the previous one.



Last year, "Tsukui Yamayurien" was completed locally and "Serigaya Yamayurien" was completed in Yokohama City, and a new life began. I was forced to live a life.



In both of the two facilities, all the rooms are private rooms, and each "unit" equipped with a dining room, kitchen, bath, etc. lives in a group of about 10 people.



When rebuilding the facility, there was also a discussion about how to support the social welfare corporation "Kanagawa Kyodokai," which operates the Yamayuri Garden.



After the incident, verification by experts conducted by the prefecture revealed that some users had been detained for a long time in a private room locked from the outside because it was "difficult to watch over", and support was improved. Was asked.



Based on this, Tsukui Yamayurien, where 50 people live, will endeavor to provide support with more hope, and will proceed with the transition to a group home while respecting the intentions of the person and family.



Director Kiyomitsu Nagai said, "I've been blaming myself for what the former staff did. I want to take the criticisms firmly, reflect on what I should reflect on, and realize the lifestyle and realization that users want. I want to firmly support my dreams. "

Miho's mother "A society where everyone can live comfortably for 19 people"

Six years after the incident, Miho's mother, who died at the age of 19, has died 19 people, so she is gradually starting to send out information toward a society where everyone can live comfortably.



According to her mother, Miho had autism and severe intellectual disability, and although she had no words, she was rich in emotional expression and expressed her intentions with her attitude. increase.



On the shelves in the living room at home, dolls and flowers such as Anpanman, which Miho liked, are displayed around the photo of her smile. Talking to them is like a daily routine. Unlike the sadness of panic at the beginning, the sadness and sadness gradually rushes in. The longer you can't meet, the more you want to miss. I really want to see you once, even if it's a ghost or a ghost. "



Because of her single-mother family, she has raised Miho and her older brother by herself, sometimes while working, but she left it to Tsukui Yamayurien after she was gone. It was four months ago.



My mother said, "Thank you for being born to my daughter," and "I'm sorry I chose Yamayurien." If I hadn't decided there, this wouldn't have happened. So, people around me tell me that it's not my fault, but it never disappears. I always feel like I'm hiding it in a box that I can't open in my heart. "



One of the things that has supported me in this situation is the existence of people with intellectual disabilities that I met after the incident.



It is said that she was able to regain her smile and energy by spending time with her even when she was in a mentally difficult state.



From this spring, I have been writing a memorandum for an NPO information magazine in Tottori prefecture that supports people with disabilities who were connected by their mother's publication of Miho's name and photo at the time of the trial.



The mother said, "I have been able to live with the help of people with disabilities and the help and cooperation of many people. When I wanted to give back something, I didn't have a disability. However, I think that making a society where everyone can live comfortably is what makes the deceased people most happy, and that is what I can do for 19 people, including Miho. I would like to listen to the opinions of various people and think together, "he says.