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On Progress of Criminal Cases on Violating Minors' Rights in Shelabolikhinsky District, Altai Krai, under Investigation

Based on the preliminary investigation results, investigative authorities of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Altai Krai initiated a criminal case investigation into an offence under Part 1 of Article 293 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (negligence).

According to the investigators, officials of the juvenile neglect prevention authorities – Juvenile Affairs Commission and Department – in Shelabolikhinsky District, being empowered to ensure the protection of the minors' rights and legitimate interests and having reliable information about the socially dangerous situation of the three boys from the Seleznyovo village, failed to take a full range of preventive measures in order to prevent abusive treatment. At the same time, during the course of their work, the officials were aware of the repeated infliction of physical and mental harm as a result of the systematic beating of the children by their mother and her cohabitee, but no effective measures were taken to remove the boys from the family.

In addition, the investigative authorities charged the female resident of the Seleznyovo village, Shelabolikhinsky District, with committing crimes under Article 156 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (non-fulfillment or improper fulfillment of obligations for the upbringing of a minor by a parent), Paragraphs A, D of Part 2 of Article 117 of the Criminal Code (causing physical or mental harm by systematic beating or other violent actions against two or more obviously minor persons), as well as Part 1 of Article 318 of the Criminal Code (use of violence against a representative of authorities). In addition, a charge under Paragraphs A, D of Part 2 of Article 117 of the Criminal Code was brought against the woman's cohabitee.

According to the investigators, the defendants have been using mental and physical violence against the children born in 2020, 2016, and 2015 for a long time. The mother showed callousness and cruelty towards her sons, thus failing to properly fulfill her obligations for upbringing the minors. The woman failed to provide the boys with necessary food and clothing, failed to ensure their education in children's institutions, and also failed to comply with preventive and hygienic requirements, violating sanitary norms and abusing alcohol in the minors' presence. In addition, the mother tortured her children and did not stop the illegal actions of her cohabitee, who systematically beat the children and inflicted other acts of violence.

On January 21, 2022, being dissatisfied with his 5-year-old stepson’s behavior, the woman's cohabitee threw him out of the house without warm clothes and shoes. The boy stayed outside in the cold for a long time, until a local resident saw him. Once the incident was reported, the prevention system employees came to the defendants' house in order to remove the children from the family. Aiming to obstruct the officials' lawful actions, the defendant used violence against the local police officer, biting through his hand with her teeth, and then, already in the police department, bit the juvenile affairs inspector.

At the request of the IC investigator, the court imposed a preventive measure in the form of defendants’ detention. The required investigative measures aimed at collecting and consolidating the evidence base are currently underway.

Earlier, the Chairman of the IC of Russia instructed Acting Head of Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation for Altai Krai I. V. Kolesnichenko to initiate a criminal case and report on the situation.