West Japan day care suspected of missing baby sleeping face-down before death

OSAKA — The representative child care worker at a non-certified day care in the Wakayama Prefecture city of Tanabe is alleged to have missed the fact that a baby was sleeping face-down before the infant’s death in July 2023, the Mainichi Shimbun has learned.

The baby was identified by the bereaved family and other parties as Koto Shibao, of Izumiotsu, Osaka Prefecture. Her 28-year old mother left her at the nursery’s care on the morning of July 25, 2023, when she visited Tanabe. The staffer later noticed Koto lying face-down and limp on a bed. The then 5-month-old girl was rushed to a hospital in the city in an unconscious state, and died shortly thereafter. A police autopsy found that the cause of death was believed to be asphyxiation. The baby possibly suffocated when she turned face-down in her sleep.

It has also been found that the representative staffer was looking after multiple young children by herself at the time, in violation of national standards. The Wakayama Prefectural Government established a verification committee on Sept. 5 to begin an investigation into the circumstances leading to the baby’s death.

The Megumi nursery, now temporarily closed, had been offering day care services for infants and young children since 2006. Wakayama Prefectural Police are also investigating the case, considering suspicions of professional negligence resulting in death.

The facility has two day care workers, including the representative, but the other worker was absent that day. During the time of the accident, the representative was alone in charge of four children aged 0 to 6, including Koto.

The national government’s guidance and supervision standards for non-certified child care facilities require that two or more caregivers be present when taking care of multiple infants and toddlers. While there is no penalty for violations of this standard, a breach will result in administrative guidance.

In addition, national guidelines to prevent accidents also require that, in principle, infants not be put to sleep on their stomachs at day care facilities, in consideration of the risk of suffocation and sudden infant death syndrome.

The day care center may have neglected its duty of care to prevent accidents by operating without the necessary number of caregivers. The prefectural police are questioning the representative on a voluntary basis about the situation.

In an interview with the Mainichi Shimbun, she admitted to violating the national standard, but she explained, “I thought I could take care of children by myself because of my many years of experience. I was also checking on Koto every five minutes after I put her to bed.”

(Japanese original by Yumi Shibamura, Osaka City News Department)