In Kharkiv, an eleven-year-old boy, diagnosed with autism, passed away on July 8, 2025, due to a traumatic brain injury coupled with a deficiency in medical attention. The boy’s 36-year-old mother has been reported under suspicion for deliberate dereliction of responsibilities.
The young Kharkiv resident, Oleg, was a child with specific needs: due to autism and cognitive delays, he depended entirely on his mother for care. However, he did not receive adequate attention from his closest family member, leading to his death. This information was released by the Prosecutor General’s Office, UNN reports.
Medical facilities repeatedly furnished the woman with guidance regarding her son’s therapy, for which she provided signatures. Nevertheless, she consistently neglected to render him care.
– the statement conveys.
During the summer of 2025, under circumstances still under investigation, the boy sustained a significant head trauma. His condition rapidly declined within a month.
The child experienced episodes of vomiting, appetite suppression, considerable weight loss, and fluid discharge from his ear. Despite these symptoms, the mother did not seek professional medical intervention, even while witnessing her own son’s distress.
On July 8, 2025, Oleg, aged 11, succumbed to his condition.
The chief of the Saltiv District Attorney’s Office of Kharkiv affirmed the notification of suspicion to a 36-year-old female concerning the malicious non-performance of legally mandated duties to provide care for a child, resulting in severe repercussions (Article 166 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
There’s simply no justification for apathy toward a child’s life. How can a birth mother fail to observe anorexia in her son, who is already unwell? When adults, entrusted with a child’s safety and well-being, disregard their responsibilities, the outcomes can prove lethal. Anyone who abandons a child without appropriate supervision and ignores their suffering will face full legal accountability. The prosecuting body will exert all efforts to thoroughly ascertain all facets of the situation.
– underscored Deputy Attorney General Viktor Logachov.
Under the directive of the Attorney General, the prosecution has intensified the safeguarding of children’s rights. Forty-five interdepartmental units were established. Throughout the month commencing December 12, 2025, 281 establishments for children and 722 family-based rearing setups underwent scrutiny. Assessments were conducted on more than 26,000 children.
As a consequence of these audits, 214 criminal proceedings were documented; 118 – against functionaries, 96 – against parents and legal guardians. Forty-four individuals were formally notified of suspicion, 50 administrative directives were formulated, and disciplinary actions were initiated.