Satsuki Naito was 29 years old and had built a life in front of the camera. She was born with osteogenesis imperfecta, a rare disease that makes bones so fragile they break easily. Her growth stopped at 110 centimeters, and she had used a wheelchair since childhood.
On YouTube and other social media platforms, she talked about the dignity of life, disability, and the joy of carrying on. When she had her daughter, the birth was presented as a triumph over the disease, and her story reached media outlets that held her up as an example of overcoming adversity.
In November 2025, the girl, named Yua, died in a bathtub. According to the information released, her body had 67 stab wounds. The prosecution argues that Naito acted when she believed she would not get custody of the child during divorce discussions with her husband, and that emotional distress led her to decide to do it. Her first trial begins today.
The question this case leaves us with is not an easy one: how do we explain that someone who taught others to value life is now in the dock for taking her daughter’s life?
