Tokyo Metropolitan Police arrested a couple in their 40s and their eldest son in his 20s on May 12 on suspicion of unlawfully confining and injuring their daughter, a junior high school student [1, 2]. The daughter had been confined for several days in a locked closet modified with a lock on the bottom door to prevent opening from the inside [2]. During this confinement, her limbs were fixed with a homemade metal device [2].
When found, the daughter showed signs of severe abuse and neglect. She suffered hypothermia, severe malnutrition with a weight deficit of about 10 kilograms compared to average for her age, pressure sores on her back, multiple bruises, and suspected old fractures [2]. She had not attended school for several years before the case came to light [2].
Authorities discovered video evidence from home surveillance capturing scenes consistent with abuse, including the daughter being tied with tape [2]. The case emerged publicly on January 28, 2026, when the mother called emergency services reporting her daughter was cold and semi-conscious [2]. The daughter was hospitalized following the report.
Local child welfare officials had received prior reports about possible abuse days before the emergency call [2]. The mother partially denied the allegations, claiming the confinement was intended "为了管教" (for discipline) [2]. Their eldest son refused to comment during police questioning, saying, "I don’t want to say anything" [1].
The family’s second son was arrested on January 29 for suspected assault and unlawful confinement related to the case [2].
The Tokyo Metropolitan Police continue investigating the prolonged abuse. The locked closet was modified in September 2025 by installing a lock on the bottom door to prevent escape from inside [2]. Authorities are reviewing all evidence as legal proceedings move forward.
