Trial Regarding Death of 16-year-old Girl in Hyogo Begins

‘Runa’ - a pseudonym, whom was 16 at the time that she died, intervened when a female service user with a severe intellectual disability attempted to bite another person during an event at a disability welfare facility in Hyogo Prefecture. A person who witnessed the incident later reported it to a local government authority as possible abuse. Speaking after the hearing, Runa's mother said she wanted the court proceedings to establish why her daughter had been deprived of her liberty and whether her life and dignity had been protected during detention. She said she was pursuing the case so that others would not have to endure similar suffering. Episode notes: ‘Death of 16-year-old girl in Hyogo: A Timeline’: https://barrierfreejapan.com/2026/10/25/death-of-16-year-old-girl-in-hyogo-a-timeline/