戸籍ない女性、自宅で餓死 息子も衰弱「水と塩だけで」Unregistered woman starves to death in her home, her son wastes away "with only water and salt.

 2020年12月26日 10:07  朝日新聞デジタル

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写真 餓死した女性が暮らしていた住宅=2020年12月25日午後3時3分、大阪府高石市、添田樹紀撮影

　大阪府高石市の住宅で9月、高齢の女性が餓死し、同居していた息子も衰弱した状態で見つかった。親子には戸籍がなく、息子は周囲に「生活費が底をつき、水と塩だけで生きていた」と語ったという。親子に何があったのか。なぜ周囲は気づくことができなかったのか。

　呼び鈴が鳴り、自治会長の70代男性が玄関に出ると、引っ越したはずの近所の高齢女性の息子が立っていた。「警察に電話して下さい」と言われ、事情がのみ込めずに聞き返すと、「母が亡くなりました」。驚いた自治会長は、裸足のまま女性宅に駆けつけた。室内のベッドの上に、やせ細った女性が横たわっていた。

　9月22日、秋分の日の朝のことだ。現場は、堺市の南側に隣接する高石市内の住宅密集地。大阪府警の司法解剖では、女性は死後数日とされ、死因は栄養不足による餓死とわかった。息子も衰弱しており、入院したが、命に別条はなかったという。

　関係者によると、息子の説明から、生活の状況が少しずつ見えてきた。「8月の終わりごろから、食費や食材に困るようになった。水と塩で何とかつないでいた」。さらに「戸籍がないので、救急車を呼んだり、市役所に相談したり、助けを求めにくかった」と明かしたという。

In September, an elderly woman died of starvation in a house in Takaishi City, Osaka Prefecture, and her son, who lived with her, was found in a weakened condition. The father and son had no family register, and the son told those around him that he had run out of money and was living on water and salt. What had happened to the father and son? Why didn't the people around them notice?

　When the doorbell rang and the head of the community association, a man in his seventies, answered the door, he found the son of an elderly woman in the neighborhood who had supposedly moved out. He was told to call the police, but when he asked him what was going on, he was told that his mother had died. Surprised, the head of the community association rushed to the woman's house, barefoot. He found an emaciated woman lying on a bed inside the house.

　It was the morning of the autumnal equinox, September 22. The scene was a dense residential area in Takaishi City, adjacent to the south side of Sakai City. An autopsy by the Osaka Prefectural Police revealed that the woman had been dead for several days, and that the cause of death was starvation due to lack of nutrition. Her son, who was also weak, was hospitalized, but his life was not in danger.

　According to those involved, the son's description of his living conditions gradually became clearer. Around the end of August, we started having trouble finding food and supplies. We managed to make ends meet with water and salt. He also said, "Since I didn't have a family register, it was difficult to call an ambulance, consult with the city office, or ask for help.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)