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American parents of murdered Russian boy get lenient sentence

Vanya died of traumatic brain injuries in an American hospital on August 24, 2009 as a result of beating

MOSCOW, November 20 (Itar-Tass) — Russian Children’s Rights ombudsman Pavel Astakhov has urged U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton to achieve justice in the case of adopted Russian boy Vanya Skorobogatov.

Seven- year-old Nathaniel Craver (Vanya Skorobogatov) and his twin sister Dasha from the Chelyabinsk region were adopted by the American couple, Nannette and Michael Craver, eight years ago. Vanya died of traumatic brain injuries in an American hospital on August 24, 2009 as a result of beating. When he was found his body was covered with over 80 injuries 20 of them injuries to his head.

Astakhov believes that the Cravers got a lenient sentence.

“Russian children adopted in the United States should receive equal and reliable protection. Anybody who makes a decision to hand over Russian children to Americans should feel themselves responsible for their lives,” Astakhov said.

Russian Vice-Consul in New York Alexander Otchainov also believes that adoptive parents in the United States guilty of killing Vanya Skorobogatov received an inappropriately lenient sentence. “We believe that this crime deserves a much tougher punishment,” he emphasized.

The diplomat gave as an example and a contrast the case of the Russian pilot Konstantin Yaroshenko who was sentenced in the U.S. to 20 years in prison just for conspiring to commit a crime. Without actually committing one, yet the Cravers murdered a child.

The Court of York, Pennsylvania sentenced the Cravers to a term of 16 to 48 months in prison, depending on their behavior and other factors. It will last for no less than 16 months and no more than four years, according to Pennsylvania’s laws.

Vanya’s sister Dasha, named Elizabeth Mary, is staying with relatives of her adoptive father. A guardian represents her interests in court.

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