Kabuki actor Ichikawa Ennosuke IV was arrested on Tuesday on suspicion of assisting his 75-year-old mother in her suicide.

The popular actor, age 47, was found with his mother and his father — kabuki actor Ichikawa Danshiro, 76 — in their home in Tokyo on May 18. When police officers arrived, both parents were found collapsed while Ennosuke was found sitting in a partially underground closet. Both of his parents were confirmed dead from a drug overdose.

According to the investigation, Ennosuke, whose real name is Takahiko Kinoshi, handed his mother Nobuko sleeping pills sometime between the night of May 17 and the morning of May 18, thereby assisting her suicide. There is an ongoing investigation regarding Ennosuke’s involvement in his father’s death.

Investigators believe it's likely that he attempted suicide along with his parents. The police are believed to have moved forward with his arrest due to the possibility that he may destroy evidence or try to escape.

Ennosuke’s arrest warrant was issued early Tuesday morning, and he voluntarily left the hospital in Setagaya Ward to accompany investigators to the police station.

He has previously told the police that the day before the incident, he and his parents had discussed dying together and being reborn. He had also said that his parents had taken the sleeping pills.

During the investigation, police discovered that Ennosuke had been prescribed sleeping pills in the past. He also told the police that he “covered his parents in a plastic bag” and that he “threw away the pill packaging.”

When Ennosuke arrived at the hospital, he also showed signs of drug poisoning, although it was not life-threatening. When the police raided the family's house on May 19, no containers related to the pills were found.

The charge of inducing or aiding suicide entails providing tools or assistance to someone who has decided to end their life. It is against the law in Japan and punishable by anywhere from six months to seven years in prison.

The police plan to continue with their investigation of Ennosuke in order to uncover the nature of his father’s death and how he obtained sleeping pills.

Ennosuke gained popularity through his work in kabuki, as well as his performances in popular TV shows like “Hanzawa Naoki” and “Fuurinkazan.”

The incident occurred on the day a weekly magazine reported allegations of sexual harassment by the actor. Upon his arrest, Ennosuke told investigators that the report was part of his motivation behind the incident.

If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help, resources are available. In case of an emergency, please call 119 in Japan for immediate assistance. The TELL Lifeline is available for those who need free and anonymous counseling at 03-5774-0992. You can also visit telljp.com. For those in other countries, visit www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html for a detailed list of resources and assistance.

Information from Kyodo added