Against the background of the ongoing war in Ukraine, the public’s daily attention is focused on news of shelling, civilian deaths, destroyed schools and destroyed houses. Among these tragedies, the theme of the death of children occupies a special place. Most often, these are stories about the consequences of missile strikes. However, there is another, no less dramatic, but less noticeable layer of violence in the daily news – domestic violence, particularly in relation to children. Sometimes children lose their lives not because of shelling or explosions, but because of abuse and torture in their own home. In such cases, the culprits are their own parents.
A tragic event in Transcarpathia
It was one of these cases event, which happened in Transcarpathia in May 2024. She attracted attention both because of the particular brutality of the circumstances and because the investigation established: it was no accident. It is about the death of a 10-year-old boy who was killed by his mother and her roommate. After a year of investigation, on May 15, 2025, both were sentenced to nine years in prison.
According to the information provided by the investigators, on May 13, 2024, the boy’s mother (31 years old) and her roommate (35 years old) were in a state of heavy alcohol intoxication. A conflict arose between the adults and the child. The reason, as it turned out later, was the boy’s accusation of stealing a mobile phone and a certain amount of money.
After a verbal altercation, the man decided to use physical punishment. He tied the boy with a metal chain by the neck to a post in the yard. The lock was locked and the key was given to the child’s mother. According to the testimony of both defendants, the child was in this state for about 10-15 minutes, then she was released.
However, the abuse of the child did not end there – after that, the mother took a plastic bottle with liquid and poured it over her son. According to her claims, she did not know that the liquid was flammable. Her roommate, who was smoking at the time, was nearby. Within a few minutes, the boy’s clothes caught fire, then the child’s whole body caught fire. It happened right before the eyes of both adults.
As indicated in the investigation materials, the adults tried to put out the fire on their own, but did not immediately call the medics. The emergency call came only a few hours after the child suffered severe burns.
During hospitalization, doctors recorded burns over 80% of the body. The boy was taken to the intensive care unit, where doctors fought for his life for several days. Despite the assistance provided, the child died as a result of burn shock and complications related to deep skin and soft tissue injuries.
Positions of the parties in court
During the trial, the mother partially pleaded guilty. She confirmed that she allowed the roommate to tie the child to a pole. She also admitted that she did not call an ambulance in time, which, in her opinion, was fatal. At the same time, the woman denied the intention to cause serious bodily harm and insisted that she did not know about the flammability of the liquid with which she doused the child.
The judicial panel examined witness statements, investigation materials, forensic medical examinations and video recordings from cameras. All the circumstances indicated a gross violation of the basic norms of treatment of the child, as well as the fact that the injury occurred as a result of specific actions that could not be assessed otherwise as cruel treatment that led to death.
Both defendants were found guilty under two articles of the Criminal Code of Ukraine:
- Part 2 of Article 121 — intentional grievous bodily harm that caused the death of the victim;
- part 1 of article 135 — abandonment in danger.
As a result of the case, on May 15, 2025, the court sentenced each of them to nine years of imprisonment. This decision can still be appealed within 30 days, but it is valid at the time of sentencing.
Social background and previous signals
After the tragedy, neighbors and relatives gave testimony that indicated the presence of systematic domestic violence in this family. According to local residents, the boy was repeatedly beaten and treated with contempt. Social services were allegedly informed about the unfavorable situation in this family, but did not take appropriate measures. After the incident, another child was removed from the family, a younger one, who is currently under the care of state authorities.
This case demonstrates serious systemic problems in child protection mechanisms. Despite the availability of information about the potential danger, the relevant structures did not react to the situation in time. The result is the death of a child, which, according to experts, could have been prevented if timely intervention had been made.
Unfortunately, this case is not isolated. Every year in Ukraine, cases of domestic violence against children are registered, some of them lead to severe injuries or death. However, in most situations, the family environment remains closed to external supervision, and the existing response system is either lagging or formal.
