Police in Yokohama have referred to prosecutors the case of a 17-year-old female high school student who jumped from a building and killed herself and a pedestrian walking below.

The charge is gross negligence resulting in death, NHK reported. Police say the girl was old enough to recognize that she could be at risk of hitting pedestrians walking below, and have asked for an indictment to be officially recorded.

The incident occurred on Aug 31. The girl, from Kimitsu City, Chiba Prefecture, jumped from the 12th floor deck of NEWoMan Yokohama, a shopping center directly connected to JR Yokohama Station, just before 6 p.m. She hit a woman, Chikako Chiba, who was walking with three friends.

The two were taken to hospital. The girl died at around 7 p.m., while Chiba, from Midori Ward in Yokohama, died of her injuries at 9:40 p.m.

The scene was crowded with many shoppers at the time.

A glass fence approximately 2.5 meters high has been installed on the rooftop plaza to prevent falls, and based on security camera footage and witness accounts, it is believed that the girl climbed over the fence herself.

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