Maxim Kuzmin death: investigation
Moscow. February 19. INTERFAX.RU - Child Protection Service of the American state of Texas (Texas Child Protective Services, CPS) confirmed that it had received a report of a possible violent death of three Maxim Kuzmin, an adopted American family from Russia, reports CNN .
CPS representative Krimmins Patrick told reporters that his office is conducting its own investigation. He added that it was a suspected child abuse.
Also investigating the death of a boy engaged in Ector County police, Texas, where the case came initially because of the "suspicious" death of a child. So far, the U.S. authorities have not arrested anyone. According to investigators, it is necessary to wait for the autopsy.
Boy's adoptive parents, Alan and Laura Shatto did not return calls Monday. Their answering machine reported that they would not comment on reports that have appeared in the media.
On the eve of January 18, Russian authorities announced another murder of an adopted child from Russia in the American family.
"The three-year Maxim has been beaten, according to the investigators, the foster mother, who has long nursed him strong psychotropic drugs on the grounds that he had a mental illness. A child diagnosed with multiple injuries, including abdominal trauma, multiple bruises on his head and feet, "- said the president commissioner for children's rights Pavel Astakhov.
As it turned out, Maxim Kuzmin was educated in the Pechora Orphanage (Pskov region), which was adopted by the foster family from Texas. Chief Doctor of the orphanage Natalia Vishnevskaya reported that the boy suffered from heart disease, but no mental problems he had. He was also not any other diseases in which you want to receive psychotropic medication.
"For us, what happened - a great sorrow, especially as a child adopted from us recently," - said Vishnevskaya. She also confirmed that the brother of the deceased Maxima - Kirill Kuzmin - given in the same foster home. According to Astakhov, currently adopted mother was temporarily suspended from his upbringing, but she was allowed to see him.
TFR filed criminal charges
Investigative Committee of Russia initiated into the death of Maxim Kuzmin criminal case under Article 105 of the Criminal Code (murder). Using the service, the investigators requested information and materials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
According to "Interfax" agency spokesman Vladimir Markin "TFR will apply for absentee arrest foster mother" the boy, as well as to ensure that the Russian investigators participated in the investigations leading to the U.S..
Texas prosecutors, according to Astakhov, Russian investigators have promised to cooperate fully in the investigation of crime.
"Prosecutors Texas pledges to cooperate with the Russian Federation in the investigation into the death of Maxim Kuzmin American family in the waiting room," - wrote the Ombudsman in his "Twitter" on the basis of discussions with the representative of the Russian consulate in Texas.
It should be noted that, to date, most attempts of the Russian investigators to participate in legal proceedings on the facts of attacks on the lives and health of Russian children adopted by U.S. citizens, not with understanding from the U.S. Department of Justice. This was one of the reasons for adopting the "law of Dima Yakovlev", imposing a ban on the adoption of Russian orphans by Americans.
Only since 1996 is known about the death of 19 cases of minors at the hands of Russian children by American adoptive parents. According to Raman, at the end of last year opened and investigated nine criminal cases, four of them U.S. Department of Justice has refused to provide the Russian side of any of the requested documents.
The reaction of the authorities
Representatives of the authorities responded to a report of a violent death Russian boy once, without waiting for the results of the investigation. Governor of the Pskov region Andrei Turchak his decree suspended all adoptions in regiogne.
"We are suspending all open adoptions of children in any family," - quotes Turchak press office.
Chairman of the Russian Supreme Court Vyacheslav Lebedev invited his American counterpart John Roberts to discuss cooperation on adoption of Russian children by U.S. citizens.
"Such cooperation is possible. We proposed Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, I invited him to visit Russia and to sign an agreement or intention of cooperation" - said Lebedev reporters in Moscow on Tuesday.
U.S. Ambassador to Russia, Michael McFaul, in turn, called the death of the Russian child terrible tragedy
"I do not know the details, but the death of a child - is a terrible tragedy," - he wrote in his "Twitter".
The death of Maxim Kuzmin - already twentieth officially confirmed case of murder of children adopted by American parents from Russia. In the courts of the United States are now nine cases of infringement of life of children in Russia. The sentences are usually very mild.