Pagan parents who let their baby son starve to death for religious reasons have been put behind bars.
After Irina Vlasova, 36, gave birth to 9.2lbs Yeramir, she decided along with husband Andrey Vlasov, 34, to put the child on a strict diet.
According to local reports the mother fed little Yeramir once a day and not at all for several days as punishment for ‘misbehaving’.
Due to the diet, little Yeramir started to lose weight and fell ill.
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At just eight-months-old the boy died of malnutrition at hospital in the city of Nizhny Novgorod in western Russia’s Nizhny Novgorod Oblast region.
Leading up to his death Yaramir's parents realised that his health was in danger but did not change his diet nor take him to the doctor.
The father called an ambulance only when his son lost consciousness after three months of the strict diet.
He was rushed to hospital in a state of coma and diagnosed with severe malnutrition.
The child weighed around 4.4 lbs at the moment of hospitalisation - less than half his birth-weight.
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For the next five months Yeramir fought for his life with the assistance of doctors.
Tragically, despite all their efforts, the boy died without coming out of his coma.
After Yeramir’s death the police opened a murder case against the parents.
Russian police spokeswoman Yulia Sklyarova said: “The baby died in December 2017 despite all the efforts to save his life.
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“A forensic medical examination showed that the boy’s death was caused by malnutrition. The malnutrition was caused by long periods between feeding.”
The police raided Vlasovs’ apartment and found the literature of ‘Zvenyaschie Kedry’ (Jingling Cedars), a religious movement influenced by old local Pagan beliefs.
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The movement followers are known for their strict parenting that includes severe dietary restrictions and refusal of medical care.
They also do not give any food to their children for several days as punishment for misbehaving.
Expert Aleksandr Neveev said: “The followers of the religious movement refuse medical help and prefer folk medicine.
“They do not take their children to the doctor and treat them at home using plant-derived remedies. They also do not send their children to school.”
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Both Andrey and Irina Vlasova were charged with murder.
The mother was sentenced to 13 years in prison and the father to 10.
Prosecutor's office spokeswoman Nadezhda Limonova said: “The parents saw that the child’s health condition was deteriorating. Despite that, they did not take him to a doctor and deprived him of timely medical care.”
During the court hearing, the parents pleaded not guilty claiming that their son died of a disease.
