A 3-year-old boy in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, died after being kicked and otherwise injured by his mother's partner, and police had received an abuse consultation from the mother before his death, it has emerged.
Ryo Matsui, 41, a company employee in Iwaki, was arrested on suspicion of injuring the boy, Oku-dera Haru, at the family's home around 4 p.m. on the 8th. Police suspect he stomped on the boy's stomach and caused other injuries. Haru died after being taken to a hospital.
According to investigative sources, police received an abuse consultation from the mother around this summer. At the time, no marks of violence on Haru could be confirmed.
Police switched the charge to injury resulting in death and sent Matsui to prosecutors.