Russia’s prosecutors’ office has opened a criminal case after the teenager who wrote a letter of complaint to President Vladimir Putin committed suicide.
Prosecutors are investigating the circumstances of the suicide of 14-year-old Natalia Khatchenkova, from the town of Safonovo in Russia’s western Smolensk Oblast region.
Local media report a criminal case has been opened into claims local officials who did nothing to help Natalia’s family caused the girl to commit suicide.
According to reports, the local school officials and social service officials are being interrogated by the investigators.
The prosecutors’ office’s statement says: “Currently, investigators are working with relatives and classmates of the deceased. The school officials and employees, local government and executive officials are being interrogated.
“The investigation has a number of questions for the staff of the medical institution where the girl’s mother works. The psychological situation in the hospital and information about possible discrimination of the mother by colleagues will be checked.”
It was reported earlier that Natalia Khatchenkova hanged herself after her mother was reprimanded by officials over a letter the teen had written to president Putin saying her mother was not paid enough and that life was too hard.
In her letter the schoolgirl complained to Putin about her mum’s low salary, who works in a state hospital. This allegedly resulted in her mum being scolded by officials at work.
According to reports, Natalia was found hanging in a block of flats next to her home. She allegedly tied the rope to a stairwell handrail.
Local residents found her body and called the police.
The cops found Natalia’s suicide note inside one of her pockets which asked for nobody to be blamed for her death.
The schoolgirl’s relatives believe that her letter to Putin was behind her suicide.
According to Natalia’s older sister Yulia, a representative of the president’s administration called the hospital’s bosses to ‘handle the situation’ after the letter was sent.
As a result, the girl’s mother was reportedly reprimanded by her supervisor. After that, the mother is said to have told Natalia off when she came home from work.
Yulia said that the response to the letter was the last straw in her sister’s hard life and ultimately pushed her to commit suicide.
Yulia added: “She had always been bullied at school because of her eye condition, weight and shyness. The school psychologist never counselled her.”
Story By: Roksana Panashchuk, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
