A shocking case has emerged in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, where a 37-year-old unemployed woman is suspected of placing her 5-year-old daughter’s body in their home freezer. The incident occurred on September 16, when the woman’s car became inoperable after a wheel fell off. She reportedly called the police to report her daughter missing. Authorities immediately began searching the woman’s residence and surrounding areas. To their shock, the girl’s body was discovered in the family freezer around midday.
According to reports from Yahoo! Japan, investigators confirmed that the child had been dead for several days, and a forensic examination suggests suffocation as the suspected cause of death. Police have not yet disclosed whether the woman has admitted to the charges, but she was arrested on October 22 and is expected to be transferred to prosecutors for further investigation the following day.
Sources familiar with the family said that the mother and daughter appeared to have a normal relationship, with the girl described as well-behaved. Neighbors noted that the family seemed harmonious, often participating in local disaster drills together. The woman would greet neighbors but was not particularly social or active in the community.
Police reported that the freezer where the girl was found was a standard top-opening household freezer, large enough to hold a child, and still operational. The child’s body did not show signs of severe malnutrition, suggesting a low likelihood of long-term abuse. There had been no prior reports or disputes involving the mother and daughter.
Authorities also noted that the woman had been briefly hospitalized before the arrest. Her report of her daughter missing and the subsequent discovery of the body followed standard search procedures for missing children, which begin by checking the home and immediate surroundings. Police are investigating whether foul play was involved and are conducting a comprehensive inquiry into the woman’s actions to clarify the circumstances of the case.
