Fukuoka mother arrested for killing 4-year-old at mother‑child support facility
A 30-year-old Fukuoka mother was arrested April 22 on suspicion of killing her 4-year-old daughter at a mother‑child support facility, prompting an ongoing police probe into the deaths of two young sisters. The keyword "Fukuoka mother arrested" appears here to ensure search visibility about the case.
The mother, identified by police as 30‑year‑old Mizunuma Naho (水沼南帆子), was taken into custody on suspicion of murder, authorities said. Police said she admitted the charge, and that she was also injured at the time of the incident, raising questions about a possible murder‑suicide attempt.
Arrest and charges announced April 22
The Fukuoka prefectural police announced the arrest on April 22, 2026, saying Mizunuma confessed to killing her eldest daughter. Investigators allege the fatal act occurred in the early hours of March 10 inside a private room at a mother‑child living support facility in Kama City (嘉麻市).
Police said Mizunuma was arrested on suspicion of intentionally causing the death of her 4‑year‑old daughter, and the statement released by police indicated she acknowledged the allegation. Authorities have not released a formal indictment but said the arrest followed their ongoing investigation into the March deaths.
Scene discovery and emergency response
Emergency services were alerted by a 119 call from the facility on the morning of March 10, reporting that an occupant was unconscious. When police and emergency responders arrived, three people were found collapsed inside the room, and the two sisters were later pronounced dead at hospital.
Facility staff who contacted emergency services described discovering the unconscious occupants and summoning paramedics, according to police statements. The immediate circumstances inside the room prompted investigators to secure the scene and begin forensic examinations.
Victims and alleged method of killing
Police named the elder child as Mizunuma Ni‑iro (水沼二彩), age 4, and the younger sister as Mihana (三華), age 3. Investigators allege the 4‑year‑old was strangled with an electric cord, and that the younger child was also found with injuries consistent with strangulation.
Officials said the suspect has hinted at having killed the children, although authorities are continuing to verify the sequence of events and the precise cause of death through autopsy and forensic analysis. Prosecutors will use those findings in determining whether to seek formal charges beyond the initial arrest.
Partner arrested on related charges of abandonment and theft
On the same day police announced the murder arrest, authorities said they had earlier taken the children’s father, identified as Shimizu (清水晃輝), 33, into custody on separate allegations. Shimizu, described by police as the couple’s common‑law husband and unemployed, faces accusations of abandoning a person under protection and theft for allegedly leaving the injured mother and taking cash from the scene.
Shimizu was arrested on the grounds that he failed to provide care to an injured person and removed money from the facility, authorities said, but he denies the accusations. Police quoted him as disputing the charges, saying the acts did not amount to abandonment or theft.
Background at the mother‑child support facility
Police said Mizunuma entered the mother‑child living support facility in September 2022 after a prior domestic violence incident in which Shimizu allegedly struck her forehead. The facility, established under the Child Welfare Law to protect single mothers and their children and to provide support for independence, is intended as a refuge for victims of domestic abuse.
Investigators believe Shimizu had been secretly staying in Mizunuma’s room since her admission, remaining hidden for approximately three years. Officers said the partner left the room only once during that period and reportedly avoided using lights, air conditioning and the toilet when Mizunuma was absent, behavior that led police to infer long‑term concealment.
Investigators probe motive and next steps
Police said they are examining whether the case was a murder‑suicide attempt, given that Mizunuma herself was injured when first found. Forensic results and further interviews with staff, residents and the two detained suspects are expected to shape the next legal steps. Prosecutors will consider the evidence and medical reports as they decide whether to pursue formal indictments.
Local child welfare officials and the facility’s administrators have been contacted as part of the inquiry, and authorities said they will review oversight, admission procedures and any prior reports of concern. The case has prompted calls from child welfare advocates for a thorough investigation into how a partner could reportedly live undetected within a facility intended to offer protection.
The police investigation remains active, and authorities urged anyone with information about the household or the events leading up to March 10 to come forward to assist detectives in establishing a full timeline and motive.
