‘Can’t you do anything?’: Japanese girl found dead in home toilet after suspected abuse wrote plea for help in 2017
- Mia Kurihara, 10, was found dead with bruises after police received an emergency call from her father, who said his daughter had fallen unconscious and was not breathing following a scuffle
- Local authorities had been alerted multiple times about the abuse against Mia but they failed to prevent her death
A Japanese girl who was found dead with bruises in her family toilet had indicated in a school questionnaire of being “bullied by family”, said local authorities in Noda, Chiba Prefecture.
Mia Kurihara, 10, was found in the bathroom of the family’s home after police received an emergency call from her father, Yuichiro Kurihara, on Thursday night, in which he said his daughter had fallen unconscious and was not breathing following a scuffle between them.
The father reportedly told police he had made Mia stand for a period of time since that morning, and had later gotten into the fight with her while admonishing her. He said he had drenched her with cold water from the shower and had grabbed her by the neck.
Police have arrested Kurihara, 41, on suspicion of assaulting her.
Local officials apologised on Thursday after admitting they released a copy of the school questionnaire to Kurihara due to his “intimidating demeanour” which made members of the city’s education board “frightened”.
