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Investigative agencies of the Investigative Committee of Russia annually work to establish the causes and conditions that contributed to injuries, poisoning and deaths of children in the summer.

As practice shows, summer is the most dangerous season in respect of children and adolescents' injuries. It is during the summer holidays - the time when minors go to recreation facilities located in wilderness areas, especillay near water bodies, to recreation, sports and entertainment facilities - that we observe the largest number of situations in which a child may get injured, get poisoned with low-quality or expired products and even die due to the lack of proper care by adults and officials responsible for the safety of children.

Over this year's summer period only, several cases of poisoning have been registered at recreation and sports camps in different regions of Russia. They happenned in Primorye Territory, the Republic of Tyva, Rostov, Saratov, and Ulyanovsk Regions. The Investigative Committee carried out pre-investigation checks into these facts, criminal cases have been filed into three of them.

Thus, 12 children aged 12 to 16 years sought medical assistance with poisoning symptoms on June 10, 2015, in Primorye Territory. All of them were spending the summer holidays in the sports-rowing base in the village of Lozovoy. Primorye Territory investigative bodies of the Investigative Committee have launched investigation into the crime under part 1 of article 238 of the RF Criminal Code (provision of services that do not meet safety requirements).

Moreover, Tyva Republic investigative bodies of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation have initiated a criminal case in connection with the crime under part 1 of article 238 of the RF Criminal Code - the poisoning of children in children's camp "Orlyonok". There were 180 children spending the summer vacation in  this camp located near Chagytay Lake, Tandy District, Tyva Republic. On the late afternoon of June 22, 2015, children began to complain of headaches, nausea, and dizziness. 54 children aged 8 to 15 years sought medical assistance. 23 minors were taken to isolation hospital.

And just before this incident, Rostov Region investigative bodies of the Russian IC opened a criminal case on the grounds of the crime under part 1 of article 238 of the RF Criminal Code (production, storage, transportation or sale of goods and products, performance of works or provision of services that do not meet safety requirements). On July 3, 2015, children spending the summer vacation in the children's recreation complex "Sputnik" located in Neklinovka District began coming to the medical station complaining of nausea, vomiting and fever. The Rostov Region branch of Rospotrebnadzor was charged with carrying out the epidemiologic investigation in the city of Taganrog, Neklinovka, Matveyev Kurgan and Kuibyshevo Districts. Activities of the children's recreation complex "Sputnik" were suspended.

Unfortunately, fatal injuries may be received by adolescents due to the lack of care by adults during the hikes, sports competitions and during their stay in children's camps.

Thus, in the Republic of Crimea, a 6th grader arrived in Bakhchisaray District as part of an organized group of children and adolescents accompanied by members of the inter-regional youth civic organization "Federation of Russian martial art"  for participation in the physical and personal training program "Crimea 2014". During a hike in the mountains, after several falls, the boy's health condition sharply deteriorated and he died on the way to hospital. It was found that the child's death occurred because of shortcomings in the organization of the activities of the civic organization "Federation of Russian martial art" expressed in the ill-conceived hike organization and non-provision of the safety of children. The criminal case opened by the Main Crimean Investigative Department of the Investigative Committee in the Republic of Crimea, against the head of the said organization accused of the crime under part 2 of article 109 of the RF Criminal Code has been sent to the court.

Also, children often get injured in playgrounds. Children of primary school age enjoy certain independence, but they are not able to adequately assess the risk to their lives yet.

On June 4, 2015, an 8-year old boy died in Khanty-Mansi District. He received a fatal head injury when he fell from a faulty metal sports facility, which broke at the base. The Khanty-Mansi Investigative bodies of the Investigative Committee of Russia are now carrying out investigation into the offense under paragraph "c" of part 2 of article 238 of the RF Criminal Code (execution of works or provision services that do not meet safety requirements and result in the death by negligence).

Children are at risk when they visit amusement parks or participate in sports entertainment events.

Krasnoyarsk Territory investigative bodies of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation have opened a criminal case against the director of the sports and entertainment complex "Forsazh" located in the village of Kindyakovo, Beryozovka District in connection with the injury received by a 10-year-old girl during karting on the grounds of the crime under part 1 of article 238 of the RF Criminal Code (provision of services that do not meet the requirements of safety and health of consumers). Together with classmates, the girl, accompanied by her mother, was in the sports and entertainment center "Forsazh", where she was provided with paid karting services. During the karting, the girl's hair got into the kart engine, as a result of which she received a spinal injury. The girl was not equipped properly - she had no helmet liner or special cap on to keep her long hair under a protective helmet on her head. In addition, it was found that  in "Forsazh", JSC, there was no one responsible for children's equipment and safety.

In the summer, the number of child drownings caused by accidents, including by negligence of adults, keeps growing.

Thus, Voronezh Region investigating bodies of the Russian IC are investigating a criminal case started on grounds of the crime under part 2 of article 109 of the RF Criminal Code (causing death by negligence due to improper execution of one's professional duties) in connection with the drowning of a boy born in 2002. According to investigators, in the village of Chigorak, Borisoglebsky District, Voronezh Region, one of the schools set up a tent camp for its students. On June 19, 2015, the boy drowned while bathing.

When parents send their children for vacation, they certainly expect that host organizations will take all the prescribed safety measures so that children would gain strength and received a charge of vivacity for the upcoming school year. However, all of the above examples suggest that employees of summer camps, sports and other facilities that provide recreation services to children often do not realize the extent of responsibility that rests on them. Negligent attitude to their duties often results in poisoning, injuries, and sometimes, unfortunately, it leads to the most tragic consequences. It should be noted that the Investigative Committee of Russia has always promptly and firmly responded to each violation of the rights of minors. Everything will be done to ensure that people who failed to provide child safety will be punished to the fullest extent of the law. At the same time, to prevent such cases, IC investigators, while investigating these cases, establish the causes and conditions that contributed to such crimes and take measures to prevent them in the future. However, the efforts of the Investigative Committee are not enough to prevent children's injuries and deaths during the holidays. The summer season is in full swing. And, referring to the heads of children's camps, recreation and sports facilities, oversight officials, I would like to underline once again that, after analyzing all this information, you have a real opportunity to seriously approach to the safety of children in order to avoid tragedies. After all, when it comes to the health and life of a child, negligence should be avoided even in small details.