An 18-year-old high school student in Ichihara City, Chiba Prefecture, Japan, was apprehended for allegedly trying to murder his uncle by contaminating his miso soup with a poisonous oleander plant.
Oleander, a highly toxic plant to both humans and animals, possesses poisonous elements in all its parts, including leaves, stems, roots, flowers, and fruit.
The incident occurred on July 17, around midday, when the teenager purportedly attempted to kill his uncle by incorporating chopped oleander leaves into his meal. Fortunately, the uncle detected the strange taste and promptly spat out the miso soup.
The uncle, who resides with the teenager and his mother, quickly sought medical help after the poisoning attempt and only experienced minor symptoms, as reported by News On Japan.
Reportedly, the motive behind the poisoning endeavor stemmed from the student’s frustration with his uncle’s loud snoring, as per Nippon TV. The student confessed during interrogation, stating, “I couldn’t tolerate his snoring any longer, so I opted to eliminate him.”
Oleander, an evergreen shrub commonly found along roadsides and in gardens, bears red or white flowers but is highly poisonous due to its toxic compounds present in all parts.
Subsequently, approximately six hours after the poisoning incident, the same student was arrested at JR Chiba Station for assaulting two women in a nearby restroom with a hammer. The victims, aged in their 40s and 50s, sustained minor injuries.
Police officials disclosed that the teenager used a 24-centimeter hammer to strike the victims’ shoulders in succession inside the women’s restroom at the station. The women fortunately did not suffer severe harm during the assault.
The student allegedly expressed to investigators, “I aimed to harm a vulnerable woman—anyone would suffice—and cause injury.”
Authorities are currently delving into the specifics and context of the student’s series of actions. Prosecutors are contemplating filing formal charges of attempted murder against the teenager, who is currently in custody.