News

The Sverdlovsk Region authorities of the Investigative Committee have charged a 41-year-old employee of Yekaterinburg Home for Retarded Children with a crime under Part 2 of Article 109 of the RF Penal Code (Negligent murder owing to the improper discharge by a person of his professional duties).

According to investigation, the dead body of an 8-year-old girl, who was a disabled inmate of the said facility, was found in the morning, on 11 January 2016, in the facility in Lyapustin Street in Yekaterinburg. The girl died of drowning in a bathtub, where she had been put by the employee of the facility. The 41-year-old woman was responsible for safety of the children during bathing and on that morning she was the one to bring the girl in the bathroom. She put the child in the bathtub for bathing, but did not tell about to another employee who was bathing the children and was busy with another child at the time. The investigators believe that after the accused had gone away, the girl she had left in the bathtub died of drowning was unable to get out without help.

At present, the investigators are establishing all the details of the incident. The accused and witnesses from among the staff of the facility have been questioned, a forensic medical inquiry has been run, the documents stating duties of the staff and health of the girl are being processed for evidence. In addition, the investigators are looking into reasons and conditions that might have contributed to the crime. The accused has been released on recognizance. The investigation is ongoing.

It should be noted, that considering the fact that the actions of the facility’s staff have already gotten attention of the police for violations related to other crimes committed against minors, however, as no proper measures were taken to ensure safety of the inmates, an investigator of the regional directorate of the Investigative Committee has opened a criminal investigation in a crime under Part 2 of Article 293 of the RF Penal Code (neglect of duty involving the death of a person). During the probe, the investigator is establishing possible involvement of the facility’s staff and specialists of oversight authorities in the crime. Necessary investigative operations are underway.