10-year-old boy cared for two brothers with a genetic disease for over a year: prosecutor's office initiated an investigation into social services
Kyiv • UNN
The prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the possible inaction of social services, due to which three children from the Pokrovsky district were left without proper care for over a year. A 10-year-old boy independently cared for two brothers with a severe genetic disease, who were bedridden.
The prosecutor's office initiated an investigation into the possible inaction of social services, as a result of which three children from Pokrovsky district in Donetsk region were left without proper care for more than a year. A 10-year-old boy himself looked after two brothers with a severe genetic disease who were bedridden. UNN reports this with reference to the Office of the Prosecutor General.
Details
"Under the procedural guidance of prosecutors of the Donetsk Regional Prosecutor's Office, a pre-trial investigation has been launched into the possible improper performance of official duties by representatives of the Children's Affairs Service of the Bilozerska City Council (Part 1, Article 367 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine)," the prosecutor's office informs.
This refers to three brothers from Pokrovsky district, who allegedly were left without proper care after their grandmother's death.
"Two of them are 13-year-old children with a severe genetic disease, bedridden. Information is being checked that for more than a year, the only one who looked after them was their 10-year-old younger brother, who fed, watered, and cared for the boys on his own, and during shelling, he independently took them down to the basement. According to doctors, the children arrived at the charitable center in an extremely serious condition: emaciated, with numerous untreated injuries and without necessary medical care," the prosecutor's office reported.
Within the framework of the criminal proceedings, prosecutors initiated the necessary investigative actions and prepared a number of requests to relevant services to clarify all circumstances.
The progress of the investigation is under the control of the regional prosecutor's office leadership.
Where are the children now?
The boys, according to data from philanthropists, were evacuated to the international center for comprehensive assistance to children, mothers, grandmothers, and dogs "Misto Dobra" (City of Goodness).
The charitable center reported that the evacuation of the children took place in May. At that time, their mother refused to accompany them and remained at her place of residence.
The center notes that the woman twice confirmed in writing that she does not plan to take the children from "Misto Dobra" and care for them herself: due to her psychological state and difficult life circumstances. She also allowed the publication of the story.
"Only this month she arrived in Chernivtsi with the evacuation, because the city where she lived became extremely close to the front. The mother confirmed that before the children's evacuation, she had been undergoing inpatient treatment for some time at an institution that we cannot disclose. According to doctors, the woman is currently, unfortunately, in an unstable psychological state. We are not publishing the video for ethical reasons, but we will definitely provide it to all competent authorities who believe that the children were under her careful care," the center's statement reads.
Condition of the 13-year-old brothers
The center states that at 13 years old, the brothers weighed 8 and 9 kg. This is a consequence of both the disease and the difficult circumstances of the family's life. Now the children have gained an average of 15% of their weight.
"Doctors recorded old fractures that had healed incorrectly due to lack of medical care, bedsores, and other signs of lack of necessary medical care. These facts are confirmed by medical conclusions and photos taken after the initial examination immediately after evacuation. The medical support for the children's evacuation, as well as all care during this time, was provided by the charitable foundation "Misto Dobra". Exhaustion, old fractures that had not seen a cast, and bedsores - this was the condition the children were in before. Broken bones were treated with iodine. It was in this condition that the children came to us," the center said.