According to China Press, a Japanese mother was charged with child abuse after throwing her 11-month-old baby to the floor and causing his death. She was sentenced to 3 years and 6 months in jail. She pleaded guilty and her charge was reduced from murder after it emerged that the woman had been suffering from a major depressive disorder.
By just looking at the statement, you probably will think she sentenced too light? But after listening to the story behind probably you won’t think the same anymore.
The 30-year-old mother suffered from infertility, however, after years of treatments she was pregnant with triplets. It’s definitely the joyous moment for her and her husband although she knew taking care of 3 babies is not easy at all.
It’s not a happily ever after kind of ending but the beginning of her nightmares. She developed depression over the months on taking care of the 3 babies on her own, with very limited support – her husband did not help at all, her parents hardly help because they are staying far away.
Can you imagine her life? She need to breastfeed her babies 24 times a day even the middle of the night, not only breastfeeding them but also changing diapers, bathed them, soothing them as well as all the household chores. Most of the time, she only slept an hour a day.
4 months after the children were born, the husband took a 6 months infant care leave. She thought things would be better. However, the husband never helps. He was enjoying his leave but NOT the infant care. Most of the time he was on his phone, not even soothing the babies when they were crying or changing diapers for them. She felt helpless.
After 6 months, her husband was back at work. But the long term of sleep deprivation, upset, helpless which her husband never noticed, had her depressive symptoms persisting thereafter.
The incident occurred on Nov 1, 2018 where her 2nd baby was crying, with the feeling of “overwhelmed”, upset, and disgusted that triggering her. She carried him to another room, lifted the child up, and threw him on the tatami.
The child was crying and she lifted him up again and threw him on the floor for a second time. The child landed on the floor, but no more crying. Complete silence and then only she realized her son was no longer moving. She cried in panic and called police, the ambulance arrived 9 minutes later where they began to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation on the boy.
The child was declared brain-dead and died 2 weeks later.
During her final statement in court, she cried and said,” I love my child and I love him very much. To make the innocent child in pain and taken away his life and his future. I deeply regret and sorry!” No doubt, she killed her child but somehow I believed what she said in the final statement is from the bottom of her heart.
Info via China Press