Russian childminder high on drugs decapitates six-year-old boy while the child's mother was giving birth in hospital

  • Young boy was left in the care of 47-year-old family friend Sergey Podgornov 
  • Podgornov was under the influence of 'designer drugs' and alcohol, police say 
  • Footage from crime scene shows Podgornov confessing to the heinous act 

By Will Stewart for MailOnline

Published: | Updated:

A Russian childminder high on drugs decapitated a six-year-old boy while the child's mother was giving birth in the hospital. 

Her partner had left the boy with a friend Sergey Podgornov, 47, who was under the influence of 'designer drugs' and 'alcohol', according to a Russian law enforcement source.

When the partner Mikhail Grushin, 33, returned he saw the headless body of his unnamed stepson in the kitchen of their home in Engels, a city southeast of Moscow.

Podgornov, now detained, initially 'did not remember' he had severed the boy's head, a police source said. 

Pictured: The six-year-old victim and his mother Elena, who was giving birth to her sixth child at the time of the killing

Pictured: The six-year-old victim and his mother Elena, who was giving birth to her sixth child at the time of the killing 

Podgornov, 47, is pictured as he is apprehended by Russian police at the crime scene

Podgornov, 47, is pictured as he is apprehended by Russian police at the crime scene 

Pictured: The house where the crime was committed in Engels, a city southeast of Moscow

Pictured: The house where the crime was committed in Engels, a city southeast of Moscow 

Footage shows him at the crime scene confessing to detectives that he murdered the child with a kitchen knife. He failed to give any reason as to why he had attacked the helpless boy. 

At the time the boy's mother Elena, 36, was giving birth to her sixth child in maternity hospital. 

'I went out, sat on the porch and lit a cigarette,' said Podgornov.

'Then I came back, drank another glass of alcohol and I finally realised what I had done. I went out to wait for the police.'

If convicted Podgornov could face 15 years in jail. 

The murdered child, who has not been named, is pictured with his mother Elena in a family photograph

The murdered child, who has not been named, is pictured with his mother Elena in a family photograph

Mikhail Grushin, 33, step-father of the murdered child, is said to have left the boy with Podgornov, who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol

Mikhail Grushin, 33, step-father of the murdered child, is said to have left the boy with Podgornov, who was under the influence of drugs and alcohol 

The dead boy's elder sister Arina Kuznetsova, 15, said the victim had been their mother's fifth child. 

Saratov region Children Rights Ombudsman Tatyana Zagorodnyaya said: 'The mother remains in maternity hospital.'

Officials had gone to talk to her about funeral arrangements but were not allowed to enter her ward due to coronavirus restrictions.

Alcohol

Most watched News videos