Grandma arrested in Japan after 2-year-old boy left in car for 9 hours dies
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A two-year-old boy who was left in a car for at least nine hours in Japan’s hot weather has died in Tsuyama City.
His grandmother, Setsuko Shibata, 53, has been arrested on suspicion of negligent manslaughter, reported local media on Sunday.
The elderly care assistant, who left Haruto Mese in the car on Saturday while she went to work, admitted to the charge, said Okayama prefectural police.
The Asahi Shimbun on Sunday reported that Shibata told the police she had forgotten that her grandson was in the car.
Citing the police, The Yomiuri Shimbun reported that the grandmother said she had forgotten to drop the boy off at daycare.
The Asahi Shimbun said the boy was left in the car between 8.15am and 5.40pm local time.
The car was parked at the hospital where Shibata works, it added.
The Yomiuri Shimbun, citing the Japan Meteorological Agency, said the temperature in the city that day reached 31.7 deg C.
On that day, Shibata was reportedly supposed to take her grandson to a daycare centre for her daughter, who lives in the same neighbourhood.
However, after Shibata picked up Mese from her daughter’s home, she headed to the hospital instead, reported local media.
Shibata realised that the boy had been left in the back seat of her car only after she ended work.
Mese was unresponsive when Shibata found him.
He was found leaning over the child seat with a seatbelt on, reported The Yomiuri Shimbun.
Shibata later asked a colleague to call for emergency assistance.
Mese was later confirmed dead.
The police believe the boy suffered a heatstroke as he had no noticeable external injuries, reported The Yomiuri Shimbun.
A judicial autopsy will be conducted soon to determine the cause of his death, added the report.
Earlier in September, the Japan Meteorological Agency said the country experienced its hottest summer
From June to August, temperatures were “considerably higher” than average across the north, east and west of the country, said the weather agency.
In many locations, “not only maximum temperatures but also minimum temperatures” reached record highs, it added.
