Under the procedural guidance of the Mohyliv-Podilskyi District Prosecutor's Office, a pre-trial investigation is being conducted into the death of a 10-year-old boy with a disability in the Vinnytsia region. The child was found on December 16 in the house where he lived with his mother. In hunger and unsanitary conditions.

According to the conclusion of the forensic pathological examination, the cause of the child's death was prolonged starvation. The boy had not been fed for almost 60 days; he received only water, very little and rarely. According to experts, the child could have been saved if he had been provided with specialized medical assistance and proper supervision.

According to the investigation, the child had a disability from birth and therefore required constant external assistance and medical supervision. It has been established that since May 2025, the boy stopped attending educational institutions. His health condition gradually deteriorated; however, the mother did not seek medical help.

At the same time, the family is registered with the social service.

From August to December, representatives of social and medical services repeatedly visited the family at their place of residence. During these visits, they recorded inadequate living conditions for the child and a deterioration in his health, which was reflected in the relevant documents. At the same time, no decisions were made by the authorized bodies to remove the child from the family and ensure necessary treatment.

According to the investigation, the improper performance of the mother's duties in caring for the child, as well as the lack of timely protective measures from the relevant services, led to the boy's death.

The child's mother has been detained. She has been informed of the suspicion under Part 3 of Article 135 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (abandonment in danger resulting in death) and Article 166 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (malicious failure to fulfill duties of child care). A preventive measure in the form of detention has been chosen for her. She had previously been held administratively liable for failure to fulfill her duties regarding the upbringing of children under Part 1 of Article 184 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses.

In addition, information has been entered into the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations under Part 3 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine regarding the fact of official negligence by the social service, which was responsible for the family, as well as other authorized bodies. The child was also not granted the status of one who found themselves in difficult life circumstances, and in response to the prosecutor's request for information about such children, this child was not listed by the services.

The social service worker assigned to the family has been informed of the suspicion under Part 2 of Article 137 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (improper performance of duties regarding the protection of the life and health of a child resulting in death).

The family doctor has been charged under Part 2 of Article 140 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (improper performance of professional duties by a medical worker resulting in severe consequences for a minor) and Part 3 of Article 362 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (unauthorized alteration, destruction, or blocking of information processed in automated systems causing significant harm).

Recently, a series of searches and other urgent investigative actions were conducted. All circumstances of this crime and the individuals whose inaction led to severe consequences are being established.

As the Attorney General stated: “The boy did not die from illness. He died from the indifference of adults.” Ruslan Kravchenko has taken personal control of the progress of the pre-trial investigation in this case. “My position is clear: everyone who saw and remained silent, who knew and did not act, who had the authority and did not use it, will bear responsibility. This case is under my personal control. This child's death is not a ‘tragic accident.’ It is a crime,” he emphasized.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the Mohyliv-Podilskyi District Police Department of the Main Directorate of the National Police in the Vinnytsia region.

Note: according to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a guilty verdict of the court.