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Sankei Shimbun, September 17th, 2011

Mother's partner arrested on the suspicion of having injured her 2 year-old son who became unconscious in Himeji, Hyogo

On Sept. 17th, the Hyogo Prefecture Himeji Police Department and the Criminal Investigation Unit One arrested the suspect Tatsuki Kohma (30, unemployed, Toyotomi-cho, Himeji City) on suspicion of injuring the boy (2) causing unconsciousness. The boy is the son of his female partner (31) and the boy's serious condition of unconsciousness has continued since June when he was transferred to the hospital. The suspect Kohma denies the charge saying "I did not commit violence."

Between April and May of this year, preschool staff and others noticed that the boy had bruises, and they consulted with the Himeji Child Domestic Center. Prefectural Police suspect that the suspect Kohma's abuse had become a regular occurrence, and are investigating.

It is alleged that the suspect committed violence against the boy resulting in acute subdural hematoma sometime between June 8th and 9th.

According to the Prefectural Police, the veins in his head had been severed, indicating a high possibility that the boy's head was shaken strongly though there was no surface wound.

When the woman arrived home before dawn on June 10th, she discovered the collapsed boy and took him to a nearby hospital with the suspect Kohma and others. However, since his condition was serious, he was transferred to another hospital.

According to the center, they interviewed the woman twice because there were the reports from the preschool about the boy's bruises twice in April and May. The center decided on a monthly progress observation because she refused to allow the suspect Kohma to be interviewed saying he was unrelated. Director Toshiaki Kashiwabara said, "To prevent abuse before it happens was difficult, because the only way for us to be able to know a third party's violence is through the mother."

In addition, suspect's father said, "He often took care of the boy and the boy was close to him. I think there was no abuse."

Original article