Mother arrested for assault after 2-year-old's death in Yokohama

Tomomi Fujii, 22, was taken into custody by Kanagawa police after confessing that she kicked her 2-year-old son, Itsuki, on a Yokohama street on Aug. 17. The boy was confirmed dead on Aug. 18, and medical examination revealed several sub-cutaneous bruises, leading authorities to explore whether he had been subjected to repeated violence. Fujii's first arrest came on Aug. 15, and a subsequent warrant was issued for an alleged additional assault.

She had traveled from Yamaguchi Prefecture with her three children in mid-August to stay with her boyfriend, Isamu Saito, a 36-year-old company employee, at his Yokohama residence. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the child's death and any potential role of the boyfriend.