Child with autism dies in agony in Kharkiv: mother notified of suspicion
Kyiv • UNN
In Kharkiv, an 11-year-old boy with autism died on July 8, 2025, from a traumatic brain injury and lack of medical care. His 36-year-old mother has been notified of suspicion of malicious non-fulfillment of duties.
Little Oleh from Kharkiv was a special child: due to autism and intellectual disability, he was completely dependent on his mother's care. However, he did not receive proper care from his closest relative, which led to his death. This was reported by the Office of the Prosecutor General, writes UNN.
Medical institutions repeatedly provided the woman with recommendations for her son's treatment, which she acknowledged by signing. Despite this, she systematically failed to provide him with care.
In the summer of 2025, under circumstances currently being investigated, the boy sustained a severe traumatic brain injury. Over the course of a month, his condition rapidly deteriorated.
The child experienced vomiting, loss of appetite, significant weight loss, and fluid discharge from the ear. Despite this, the mother did not seek medical help, even though she saw her own son suffering.
On July 8, 2025, 11-year-old Oleh died.
The head of the Saltivka District Prosecutor's Office in Kharkiv approved the suspicion of a 36-year-old woman for malicious failure to fulfill her legal duties to care for a child, which led to serious consequences (Article 166 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).
There is no excuse for indifference to a child's life. How can a biological mother not notice that her son, who is already ill, has anorexia? When adults, on whom a child's safety and health depend, neglect their duty, the consequences can be fatal. Everyone who leaves a child without proper care and ignores their suffering will bear full responsibility before the law. The prosecutor's office will make every effort to comprehensively establish all the details of the case.
By order of the Prosecutor General, the prosecutor's offices have strengthened the protection of children's rights. 45 interdepartmental groups were created. Within a month, from December 12, 2025, 281 children's institutions and 722 family-based care arrangements were inspected. Inspections were conducted for over 26,000 children.
As a result of the inspections, 214 criminal proceedings were registered; 118 against officials, 96 against parents and guardians. 44 individuals were notified of suspicion, 50 administrative protocols were drawn up, and disciplinary proceedings were initiated.