Tottori Accepts Liability in Death of Disabled Teen at Care Facility

From The Yomiuri Shimbun via Yahoo! Japan

March 24 2026

TOTTORI – In an accident last March at the “Prefectural Comprehensive Rehabilitation Center,” a residential facility for children with disabilities in Yonago City, Tottori Prefecture, a resident (then 14) fell from a stretcher, suffered fractures, and later died of a pulmonary embolism. On the 23rd, the prefectural government released the results of its investigation. As to causes, it pointed to failures to thoroughly ensure safety, including in the operation of equipment, as well as a lack of shared caregiving methods tailored to each resident.

The report presented 12 findings along with measures to prevent recurrence. Regarding equipment operation, it found that when transferring the resident from a bathing stretcher to a transport stretcher, staff carried out the move with the stopper (safety device) left disengaged. It also noted that nursing staff were not positioned near the transport stretcher and were not standing in appropriate locations. It further called for more efficient ward management, citing insufficient sharing of caregiving methods. The report also mentioned that if a proper monitoring system had been in place when the resident’s condition worsened, it might have been possible to transport the patient to a hospital at an earlier stage.

The bereaved family was informed on the 15th. The prefecture acknowledged that it bears liability for damages and will proceed with settlement negotiations.