Mother arrested after three children die in Kanagawa Prefecture

YOKOHAMA –

A 49-year-old woman in Kanagawa Prefecture has been arrested for allegedly killing her son, 9, who was found dead along with two other children of the suspect.

Upon returning to the family's home in Kanagawa's city of Ebina at around 10:55 p.m. on Sunday, the children's father made an emergency call to firefighting and medical services reporting that the kids had sustained head injuries.

The three children were confirmed dead after being rushed to the hospital.

The mother, Atsuko Hayashi, was arrested by the Kanagawa police Monday on suspicion of murdering the son, Rei, an elementary school fourth grader, partly by beating him at the home at around 3:30 p.m. on Sunday. Hayashi, a corporate worker, admitted to the allegations.

The other two children were the couple's 15-year-old daughter, Riko, in her third year at a junior high school, and their second daughter, Mako, 13, in her first year at junior high school. Both girls also had head injuries.

The suspect attempted to kill herself at the home, according to firefighting authorities. She was sent to the hospital and is not in a life-threatening condition.

The prefectural police will investigate the deaths of the two girls, with suspected murder in mind.

The couple and the three children were living on the second floor of the house, while their relatives are using the first floor, according to investigative sources.

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