A man arrested for abandoning the body of his stepson who had been missing for weeks allegedly hid the corpse in different locations before police discovered it following an extensive search in western Japan, local police said.
The arrest of the 37-year-old stepfather marked a dramatic turn of events after police sought clues in the search for the boy who went missing on March 23.
The cause of the boy’s death has yet to be determined. His body was found in a rural area.
During a press conference, the local police said that the boy was alive on the morning of March 23, the day he was reported missing. They had not received any reports of abuse or assault involving the boy.
After a police search, the father was arrested on suspicion of abandoning the body between March 23 and Monday. He has admitted to the allegation, reportedly saying, “I did it.”
He initially told the police that he dropped the boy off near the school at around 8 a.m. on March 23.
