Japan YouTuber parent sparks fury by making video of toddler trapped in hot car
The toddler was reported to being locked in the car for 30 minutes
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Japanese YouTuber couple has been accused of attempting to boost their social media numbers by posting a video of their two-year-old daughter trapped in a hot car.
The couple, who use the handle @raunano_family on YouTube, posted a video with the title, “My daughter trapped in a car under the burning sun” on 24 May, the South China Morning Post reported.
The toddler was reportedly locked in the car for about 30 minutes.
As soon as the post was up on YouTube, the backlash started.
One observer noted: “The parents are crazy. I have encountered a similar situation, and at that time, my heart was broken and I was so nervous that I felt like I wasn’t even alive. It’s amazing that someone can stay so calm to record this on their phone.”
Another said: “Does the money you earn from risking your child’s life make you feel good?”
On 31 May, the YouTuber couple apologised to their followers following the backlash, SCMP reported. They said in a video that they were “very sorry for making a video that made everyone uncomfortable”.
However, several angered commentators demanded they close their channel.
The father filmed the video while his wife was away, showing his two-year-old daughter accidentally locked inside their car.
The incident happened after he reportedly placed her in the back seat and accidentally closed the door, locking it, while picking up their son from kindergarten with his two daughters.
Despite the infant being clearly upset, the father is accused of filming her while trying to instruct her to unlock the door, instead of immediately calling for help.
He eventually contacted a locksmith, who freed the child.
In November 2022, a two-year-old girl died from heatstroke after being left inside a car for most of the day. Her father mistakenly believed he had dropped her off at a nursery school in Osaka prefecture in Japan.
In May this year, a two-year-old girl died after her neck was caught in a car window in Tokyo. The toddler’s 34-year-old mother called an ambulance, reporting that her daughter’s neck was stuck in a car window and she couldn’t pull her out.
The mother had been driving on a street in Nerima ward in Tokyo while the daughter sat alone in the back seat.
The child was rushed to the hospital but was pronounced dead.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments