Mum abandons her toddler at hospital to “spend more time with her boyfriend”
Just awful
A 21-year-old woman has been detained after leaving her daughter in a children’s hospital in an attempt to get rid of her.
Maria Rudnitskaya, 21, brought her daughter Arina, two, to a children’s hospital in Moscow, Russia, and left the child alone in a doctor’s office.
The little girl waited for hours for her mother to return, but she never did. Medical staff realised there was something wrong and asked her where her mum was, but Arina was unable to reply due to having poorly developed speech.
The toddler was examined by doctors and treated for a cold. Her mother was spotted on surveillance cameras leaving the premises and was found and detained.
She was wearing a medical mask so as to avoid identification, and went to her boyfriend, who was waiting outside. It is believed they then went home together without Arina.
During an interrogation, she admitted that she abandoned her little daughter because "she wanted to spend more time with her boyfriend".
She also said that "she got tired of taking care of the girl and decided to get rid of her".
Maria is a Ukrainian citizen but has been living in Moscow for the past five years. She recently split with her daughters father and had moved in with a new partner.
Arina’s grandmother Natalia Rudnitskaya saw her granddaughter on the news and says she wants to take custody of her.
This will not be possible under the investigation is finished, and Arina may be placed in an orphanage.
Maria faces up to four years in prison if she is found guilty.
Nicola Conville has worked as a journalist and editor for more than 20 years across a wide range of print and online publications. Her areas of expertise are parenting, health and travel. She has two children; Lucy, age eight, and Nathan, age five.
