The Astrakhan Region authority of the Investigative Committee has initiated a criminal proceeding against a 30-year-old local resident suspected of a crime under Part 3 of Article 109 of the RF Penal Code (infliction of death by negligence to two or more people).

The investigation has revealed, that in the evening on 7 March 2016, a fire started in a single-floor private house in Kamyzyak District, Astrakhan Region. Three boys aged 4, 2 and 1 died in the fire. Their mother, who was their only parent, was out. According to her, she had locked the house and left for a little while to visit her neighbor. An investigative team arrived at the scene. A source of the fire was found during the examination of the fire site: burned matches and an empty match box were found in the children’s bedroom. No damages to electric wiring were found. It should be noted that the mother of the children has no police or administrative records and has not abused alcohol.

The investigators have questioned witnesses and assigned forensic medical inquiries. During the probe they are going to evaluate actions of officials of child neglect authorities.