Prosecutors sent a 16-year-old boy to a family court Wednesday for allegedly setting fire to his home in Nara Prefecture that killed his stepmother and two siblings last month.
The Nara Family Court will place him in a juvenile center in the city of Nara for two weeks to evaluate his mental condition before it decides whether he should face criminal prosecution.
According to the Nara District Public Prosecutor's Office, the teen began plotting the arson in early June, triggered by the belief that his midterm test scores would be given to his parents, Drs. Motoyoshi and Minka Yoshikawa, at a parent-teacher interview June 20, the day the house was set on fire.
The prosecutors' opinion attached to the file sent to the family court said the boy had "what appears to be a firm intent to kill" and should be sent back to face criminal charges.