A Tokyo couple was arrested on Wednesday for fatally drugging their 4-year-old daughter last March, according to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department.
37-year-old Shiho Hosoya and 43-year-old Kenichi Hosoya allegedly poisoned their daughter with large amounts of olanzapine, a psychotropic drug, in their residential apartment on March 13. They also believe she ingested ethylene glycol, an additive found in anti-freeze.
Officials later confirmed that the couple had purchased olanzapine and the anti-freeze additives online.
The Tokyo police are also investigating the circumstances surrounding Kenichi’s sister death as she also died under suspicious circumstances, approximately six years ago. According to one source, ethylene glycol, the additive often used in engine coolants, was also found in her body.
However, Kenichi, who works at a Japanese-style inn in Asakusa, denies the allegations and claims he ‘is not involved’. His wife, Shiho, had no comment.
On March 13, 2023, at approximately 9 a.m., Kenichi called for an ambulance after his daughter allegedly stopped breathing. A medical team arrived shortly afterward and found Yoshiki topless in their home.
The four-year-old child, Yoshiki, was subsequently transported to the hospital, where she was confirmed dead.
Since the couple had a history of child abuse, the police ordered an autopsy, which detected lethal amounts of ethylene glycol and olanzapine in her body.
Olanzapine is a psychotropic drug that’s used to treat depression and schizophrenia and can cause impaired consciousness in excessive doses while ethylene glycol can cause kidney failure and hyperventilation if ingested.
A History of Child Abuse
Yoshiki, along with her brother and sister, both of whom were elementary school age, were placed in a child consultation center in 2019, due to suspected psychological abuse by their parents.
The police believe they continued to be victims of neglect even after the charges were dropped and they were returned to their parent’s home months later. In 2022, the nursery school that Yoshiki attended also contacted the center five times after noticing bumps and bruises on her face.
Upon questioning, they determined the injuries were accidental.
The police had become aware of their situation while investigating a separate case and had contacted the Tokyo child consultation center.
Shiho Hosoya had also been arrested previously in 2019 after setting the clothes in their home on fire.
