A 31-year-old man who lives with his 21-year-old mother was arrested in Hachinohe City, Aomori Prefecture, for allegedly dousing his 5-year-old daughter in a bathtub and leaving her to die of hypothermia. Around January, the suspect moved from the house of a relative of the male suspect, where she had been living until then, and since the suspect and her father started living together, the eldest daughter has been subjected to abuse, such as being doused with water. Interviews with investigators revealed that this appears to be the case.
On January 7, suspect Nanami Miyamoto (21) and Ryo Sekigawa (31), both unemployed from Kashiwazaki, Hachinohe City, poured water on Miyamoto's eldest daughter Nozomi (then 5) in the bathtub of their apartment. He was arrested on suspicion of causing death by manslaughter, as he was left unattended and died from acute circulatory failure due to hypothermia.
The two, Nozoi, and her 1-year-old brother used to live in the home of Sekikawa's relatives in Hachinohe City, but they moved to their current apartment and started living together. Interviews with investigators revealed that from November last year, it appears that Nozomi began to be abused, including by being doused with water.
Police are investigating the matter in detail, suspecting that Nozoa may have been repeatedly abusing her on a daily basis, as there were numerous bruises on her body.
Police have not revealed the identity of the two men.