Five adult relatives who lived with a 3-year-old boy were arrested Saturday in connection with his death from physical abuse in February in the city of Sodegaura in Chiba Prefecture, police said.
Arrested on suspicion of beating and kicking Kakeru Yamamoto to death on Feb. 20 were the boy's 24-year-old stepmother Chiemi Yamamoto, her 48-year-old father Sakuzo Seki, his 46-year-old wife Kazue and Chiemi's 78-year-old grandfather Eisaku. The boy's father, Ken Yamamoto, 26, was arrested on suspicion of neglecting his duty to protect the boy, police said.
Police said Kakeru died from brain injuries after being assaulted by the four adults over a two-hour period beginning 4 p.m. on the day.
Chiemi allegedly launched the first assault against Kakeru, her husband's son from his former marriage, after observing the boy leaning against their 4-month-old baby girl. The boy was already dead when the stepmother took him to a hospital in the city, police said. Doctors who examined him said he had suffered from malnutrition and was covered in bruises.