Police in Japan have arrested a 75-year-old woman after the body of her daughter was discovered inside a freezer where it had reportedly been kept for about 20 years.
The arrest took place in Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo, after the woman, identified as Keiko Mori, went to the police station with a relative to report the matter.
Investigators who followed her to her home on Tuesday found the remains of an adult woman inside a deep freezer. The body, dressed in a T-shirt and underwear, was positioned face-down. Police believe the remains belong to Mori’s daughter, Makiko, who was born in 1975 and would have been close to 50 years old if still alive.
Officers said the body was in an advanced state of decay, and an autopsy will be carried out to establish the cause of death. Mori reportedly told investigators she purchased the freezer years ago to contain the smell of the body inside her home.
She was taken into custody on suspicion of abandoning a body. Authorities confirmed that Mori had several children, but details about them or their knowledge of Makiko’s death have not been disclosed.
Mori had recently been living alone following the death of her husband earlier this month. Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the discovery and what may have led to the daughter’s death.