A newly released report has revealed serious failures in the handling of a child abuse case in Hachinohe, Aomori Prefecture, where a five-year-old girl, Noa Miyamoto, died after being subjected to freezing water abuse by her mother and her mother's partner.
The independent review panel's findings, published on March 17, criticized the local child welfare agency for failing to directly meet with the victim despite receiving multiple abuse reports.
In September 2023, authorities received a second abuse notification, but the child consultation center relied solely on police reports and did not personally verify Noa’s condition.
The report stated that authorities should not have judged her safety based only on police information and should have swiftly conducted a direct assessment.
The investigation also found that in the first abuse report in July 2023, the child consultation center only received verbal confirmation from the partner’s parents, who claimed the child was “healthy,” but again, Noa was not directly assessed.
Due to relying on second-hand information, officials failed to recognize the severity of the situation, and the case did not reach the threshold for emergency protective custody.
The report acknowledged that child welfare offices are under increased pressure, with a growing number of consultations requiring immediate response, exacerbating staff workloads.
It recommended that Aomori Prefecture strengthen its child protection framework to prevent further tragedies.
Noa ultimately died from acute circulatory failure caused by hypothermia.
Her mother and her partner were charged with abandonment resulting in death.
The mother has been sentenced to nine years in prison.