A high school student from Japan has been arrested on suspicion of trying to murder his uncle by adding oleander plant extracts to his miso soup. Oleander is a highly toxic plant, with all its parts being poisonous to humans and animals.
The 18-year-old, residing in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, allegedly attempted to kill his uncle on July 17 by mixing oleander leaves into his food. Fortunately, the uncle detected the unusual taste in the miso soup and spat it out, avoiding serious harm.
Reportedly, the uncle, who lives with the teenager and his mother, promptly sought medical attention and only experienced minor symptoms. The motivation behind the poisoning attempt is said to be the student’s frustration with his uncle’s loud snoring.
The student confessed during interrogation, stating that he couldn’t tolerate his uncle’s snoring any longer, leading him to the decision to end his life. Oleander, commonly planted in gardens and along roadsides, has red or white flowers but is highly toxic.
Following the poisoning incident, the same student was apprehended at JR Chiba Station six hours later for assaulting two women in a restroom with a hammer. The victims, aged between 40s and 50s, sustained non-serious injuries in the attack.
Authorities revealed that the teenager used a 24-centimeter hammer to target the shoulder areas of the victims successively in the women’s restroom at the station. The student reportedly expressed his intention to harm any vulnerable woman.
Law enforcement is actively investigating the string of incidents involving the student. Prosecutors are considering pressing charges of attempted homicide against the teenager, who is currently in police custody.