An official from the Odesa region has been charged in connection with the death of an infant

The head of the Children’s Services Department of one of the city councils in the Odesa region has been notified of suspicion of official negligence, which led to the death of a 28-day-old boy. The child died of starvation and exhaustion. 

This was reported by the Odesa Regional Prosecutor’s Office.

The official faces up to eight years in prison. According to the investigation, the official was aware of the threat to the child’s life in a dysfunctional family but limited her actions to a preventive conversation instead of removing the infant. Social services were also not arranged for the family.

According to experts’ findings, the one-month-old boy died of starvation. Specialists believe that with proper nutrition and care, his life could have been saved.

The three older children were removed from the family only after the infant’s death. They are currently living with a foster family.

The boy died in April at the Bilhorod-Dnistrovskyi City General Hospital. He lived with his 23-year-old mother and three brothers, aged one, two, and four. The family was registered as living in difficult circumstances and had repeatedly come to the attention of law enforcement. In 2024 and 2025, police filed administrative charges against the mother for failing to provide adequate living conditions for her young children.

The children’s mother is accused of failing to fulfill her parental responsibilities. She is currently under round-the-clock house arrest.
 

Юлія Калабайда