Unusual & sad story - Rina Yasutake

[Whatistheanswer2023]

I just came across this story today of Rina Yasutake, a Cambridge graduate who it seems fell into deep depression after the loss of her father. It seems a gifted woman and the entire family lived very isolated lives. I know it’s naive of me but I didn’t realise people had this sort of sheltered existence or why families like this would not be on any sort of social services radar.

the siblings thought she was still alive but sought to preserve her decaying body?

link here Yorkshire Evening Post

Never heard of this case before, thanks for the link. It seems strange to me that nobody got in trouble for this. She was dead on a mattress and they embalmed her but nothing happened... They still live in the cottage now!

What trouble would you want to happen?

Whole family very obviously has severe mental health issues. Would fining them or putting them in prison for failing to report a death (when they didn't think she was dead) be any use to anyone?

I don't think they should be put in prison or anything. Just think it seems odd. What if something else similar happens in the house, especially with their elderly mum? I just wonder whether they are receiving any help or if they've just gone back to their normal every day life.

So you are concerned that they need social services involvement and help rather than that they should be in trouble?

Fair enough.

Hopefully they are now on social services radar although I doubt they would do anything much. Family are so quiet and reclusive, and there's a lot of freedom to make bad choices given before social services would intervene.

It's sad that whole families can isolate themselves this way

I hadn’t heard of it til this morning as the Judge has decided that all charges should essentially ‘lie’ so not dropped but they don’t believe it’s anyone’s interests to pursue.

they do speak fluent English and a Japanese dialect too. They’re obviously very bright people. But are reclusive and not sought out any support. Yes I think they will be under SS radar but probably little SS can/will do.

sad for someone with so much potential and someone who has achieved so much academically. for their life to end this way.

Rina went to Cambridge and did a degree. I guess I’m just intrigued as to how they all have the same mental illness? Or how it presents in them all.

I just assumed autism tbh but could just be a very enmeshed family who have almost 'folded in' on themselves and developed odd beliefs and worldviews.

I've just stumbled across this browsing BBC news. I am shocked. I was at school with Rina. A couple of years below. She was extremely bright and a very talented piano player. Her older sister was at the school too. This is so sad. I didn't know her obviously being younger but she seemed kind and quiet and very, very bright. (She learned Greek 1-to1 with our school Classics teacher.) Sad that so much potential was lost.

This is so sad. Grief is so challenging.

Such a strange and sad story but it's not illegal to lead a reclusive lifestyle. It is illegal to prevent lawful burial.
The judges reasoning was probably there was nothing to be gained by punishing them

I don't know that the family speak fluent English as The Guardian reported that the court interpreter struggled with the family's Japanese as they speak "a unique dialect".

Rina had created her own dialect, mostly with a Japanese foundation.