Coin-operated-locker babies
Coin-operated-locker babies or coin-locker babies is a type of child abuse, occurring in Japan, where infants are left in public lockers.[1] The presumption is that such lockers are regularly checked by attendants and the infant will be found quickly; however, many children are found dead. Between 1980 and 1990, there were 191 reported cases of infants that died in coin-operated lockers, which represents about six percent of all infanticides during that period.
In recent years, Osaka's government organized a group specifically designed to deal with the detection and protection of abused and neglected children. In 1993, they published a manual on how to deal with child abuse, but the Japanese judicial administration still uses old laws for abuse cases. The development of new laws is occurring in parts of the country now.[1]
See also
- Baby hatch
- Coin Locker Babies (novel)
References
- Kouno, Akihisa; Johnson, Charles F. (1995). "Child abuse and neglect in Japan: Coin-operated-locker babies". Child Abuse and Neglect. 19 (1): 25–31. doi:10.1016/0145-2134(94)00108-7. ISSN 0145-2134.
The coin-operated-locker baby is a type of child abuse that may be unique to Japan. The term refers to newborns who are placed, while alive or dead, in coin-operated lockers.