Japanese girl, 16, detained 18 days for alleged crime, develops eating disorder, dies weighing 20kg
She had been arrested on suspicions of assault.
Japanese 16-year-old Runa passed away in December 2025, five months after being detained for 18 days without her mother's presence. According to Japanese media, she suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and an eating disorder following her release. Runa's mother, Yoko, runs a disability care home in Hyogo prefecture where Runa worked.
During an incident, Runa put her hand against a patient's chin to prevent biting. She was arrested four months later for assault and held for 18 days. Runa denied the allegations, saying "I really didn’t do it" and "I love you, Mommy, I can’t wait to see you." Runa's weight dropped to 20kg and she died from severe malnutrition. Runa's mother filed a lawsuit against national and prefectural governments, seeking JPY$109,000,000 (S$888,617) in damages, claiming her daughter's death resulted from illegal arrests and detention.
The Hyogo Prefectural Police argued that there was no illegality and Runa's death occurred five months post-release, possibly due to pre-existing medical conditions.
Written by urgent.news from Mothership's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
