A mother of four children named Shizu Shigeta is now being tried in Tokyo for killing her five-year-old over his Nintendo DS. While on trial, Shigeta admitted responsibility for the death of her son, who she sealed inside two garbage bags after arguing with him about the handheld console and the mess he had left in their living room.
On September 1st, 2012, stressed from work and lack of sleep, Shigeta became angered by the mess her children had made in the house. She tossed her son’s DS into a garbage bag with several toys, then consumed several sleeping pills and a glass of shochu whiskey, only to awake the next morning to her five-year-old, Koshi, inquiring about his missing DS. Furious over her son’s attitude, and still reeling from her night of intoxication, the mother of four lashed out at the boy, asking him “Would you rather breathe or play DS?”
Koshi responded by saying “I’d rather play DS,” at which point the mother became enraged, binding the boy’s hands and feet with twine, and covering his eyes and mouth with tape. She then sealed him inside two garbage bags and passed out. By the time she awoke from the boy’s father arriving home, Koshi was unconscious. He died three days later from hypoxic encephalopathy, or brain damage caused by lack of oxygen.
Having been forced to listen to recounts of the incident in court, Shigeta claims to only recall “fragments” of the event. Amazingly, on account of the circumstances and her apparent devastation over her son’s death, the prosecution is only asking for a sentence of four years in prison.
A mother of four children named Shizu Shigeta is now being tried in Tokyo for killing her five-year-old over his Nintendo DS. While on trial, Shigeta admitted responsibility for the death of her son, who she sealed inside two garbage bags after arguing with him about the handheld console and the mess he had left in their living room.
On September 1st, 2012, stressed from work and lack of sleep, Shigeta became angered by the mess her children had made in the house. She tossed her son’s DS into a garbage bag with several toys, then consumed several sleeping pills and a glass of shochu whiskey, only to awake the next morning to her five-year-old, Koshi, inquiring about his missing DS. Furious over her son’s attitude, and still reeling from her night of intoxication, the mother of four lashed out at the boy, asking him “Would you rather breathe or play DS?”
Koshi responded by saying “I’d rather play DS,” at which point the mother became enraged, binding the boy’s hands and feet with twine, and covering his eyes and mouth with tape. She then sealed him inside two garbage bags and passed out. By the time she awoke from the boy’s father arriving home, Koshi was unconscious. He died three days later from hypoxic encephalopathy, or brain damage caused by lack of oxygen.
Having been forced to listen to recounts of the incident in court, Shigeta claims to only recall “fragments” of the event. Amazingly, on account of the circumstances and her apparent devastation over her son’s death, the prosecution is only asking for a sentence of four years in prison.
Faith in humanity: Lost