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Russia SK head orders to check into boy death investigation

The director of the local utility management company was detained as the suspect, he was released under recognisance not to leave

MOSCOW, March 15 (Itar-Tass) — Chairman of Russia’s Investigative Committee (SK) Alexander Bastrykin has demanded to check the completeness of the criminal investigation into the death of a child who was killed by a collapsed house entrance canopy in Apatity (Murmansk region). SK spokesman Vladimir Markin told Itar-Tass that on Thursday, the Investigative Committee head sent to the Murmansk region the SK central staff members to check the objectivity of the criminal investigation.

On February 22 in the afternoon, a concrete entrance canopy of the house at 1, Dzerzhinsky Street in Apatity collapsed under the weight of snow and ice. It killed a 14-year-old boy, and an 8-year-old child was severely injured.

The investigation opened a criminal case under Article 109, part 2 of the RF Criminal Code (causing death by negligence as a result of improper performance of his or her professional duties) and Article 118, part 2 of the RF Criminal Code (causing grievous bodily harm by negligence).

The director of the local utility management company was detained as the suspect, he was released under recognisance not to leave. “At present, the investigation has questioned more than 30 people, seized legal documents, as well as contractual documents that establish the relationship between the management company and contractors. The investigators, along with experts from the Murmansk forensic laboratory of the Russian Ministry of Justice, are currently conducting additional inspections of the technical condition of the house, the collapsed entrance canopy, as well as other facilities in order to appoint a comprehensive technical expert examination,” Markin said.

According to him, “a team of officers of the central staff of the SK will check the timeliness and adequacy of the measures in the investigation of this criminal case and in the protection of the rights of citizens.”