A man in Japan has been arrested after allegedly abandoning the body of his 11-year-old stepson, with authorities also investigating whether the child may have been killed prior to the incident.
Kyoto prefectural police said 37-year-old Yuki Adachi was detained on suspicion of abandoning a body in Nantan, Kyoto Prefecture, after the boy went missing in March and was later found dead on Monday.
Investigators said Adachi admitted during voluntary questioning that he had left the child’s body in multiple locations, including forested areas, between March 23 and the discovery of the remains.
Authorities also revealed that Adachi reportedly told police during earlier questioning that he may have killed the boy, prompting a wider investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death.
Police said security camera footage and other evidence helped identify Adachi, while searches indicated the body may have been moved before being finally discovered in a mountain area.
An autopsy reportedly found no visible external injuries, and the cause of death remains unclear, although investigators have not ruled out homicide.
The boy, who was a primary school student, failed to attend school on March 23, prompting concern from staff who later contacted his mother after he was reported missing.
Adachi had initially told police that he had driven the boy to school that morning and later discovered he had not arrived on campus, according to investigators.
Further evidence recovered during the investigation included the boy’s schoolbag and shoes found in nearby mountainous areas in the days after his disappearance.
Kyoto police have set up a dedicated investigation team to establish the full sequence of events leading to the child’s death and to determine whether any other individuals were involved.
