The trial has commenced for Yui Inoue, a Tempe mother charged with the 2021 murder of her two children, Mia and Kai, in their family's apartment. Inoue, who pleaded not guilty, stands accused of using a meat cleaver in the killings, an act prosecutors deemed "horrific." The prosecution alleged during opening statements that there was "large amounts of blood on the floor and surrounding walls" upon discovery of the scene, according to FOX 10 Phoenix.
The tragic find on May 15, 2021, followed Inoue's earlier visit to the Tempe Police station, where she professed hearing voices compelling her to kill her children. The couple was estranged, in the midst of separating and the defendant was planning a return to Japan. Arguments between Inoue and her husband the prior night escalated to her allegedly threatening him with a knife, demanding money before he departed from their home, FOX 10 Phoenix reports.
Further details emerged in court, including an altercation when the defendant demanded her husband pay her money he had promised as part of their separation. In a past incident, Chandler Police connected Inoue to charges of aggravated assault on an officer. A separate investigation by DCS into alleged neglect did not initially remove the children from the home, but the case had not been closed at their time of death. This came to light during the trial, as reported by 12News.
While the defense encouraged the jury to consider both sides of the story, a judge ruled that Inoue's mental health could not be a factor in trial discussions, despite the defendant having previously reported auditory hallucinations. Inoue was actually not present in the courtroom for opening statements and the testimony of her ex-husband. She waived her right to appear, with a preference to avoid being on camera, 12News reported. The trial is anticipated to last at least two weeks.
