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| Photo credit: Nathan Anderson on Unsplash |
A seven-year-old boy who survived for nearly a week after being abandoned by his parents in a forest has left hospital, capping a 10-day drama that captivated Japan and sparked a national conversation about child discipline.
The boy survived for six nights alone after his parents left him on a mountain road on 28 May in woods that are home to brown bears.
Many in Japan were angry at the couple, who said they had forced their son out of the car to teach him a lesson after he had thrown stones at cars and people. They originally told police that he got lost while on a family outing, but later admitted they had lied because they feared social censure.
The case sparked debate in Japan about discipline, with some voices calling for understanding of parental frustration in making children behave, though most condemning the parents’ actions.
Police said on Tuesday the parents would not face charges. “We plan not to regard it as a criminal case,” a Hokkaido police spokesman said, indicating that it would be referred to social services.
The father, 44-year-old Takayuki Tanooka, said on Monday that he had apologised to his son and that the boy had forgiven him.
[source: The Guardian]
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