Father Accused of Murder Faces Attempt to Limit Parental Rights
In Yaroslavl Region, the case of the murder of 37-year-old legal consultant Elena Ivanova continues to be reviewed. According to the investigation, in April 2025, her former husband, a 39-year-old man, stabbed the woman to death in the presence of their two-year-old son.
Now, there is an attempt to initiate the restriction of parental rights against the father accused of murder. Children«s Rights Ombudsman Mikhail Krupin has become involved in the situation.
However, the Danilovsky District Court did not see grounds for such a measure. The ombudsman«s office reported: »The judge of the Danilovsky Court did not find grounds for restricting the parental rights of the father who killed the mother in front of the child. The murderer inflicted more than 25 stab wounds on the mother. The child was in hysterics and screamed. The court considered the provided evidence and the position of the victim«s mother, the agency for family and children»s affairs, as well as the children«s rights ombudsman to be insufficient. The father admitted to the murder during the court proceedings.»
Mikhail Krupin disagreed with the court«s verdict. »The ombudsman«s office will appeal the decision to higher authorities,» he stated.
The ombudsman also explained that the boy is now living with his grandmother—the mother of the deceased Elena. «The problem is that the permanent legal representative is the father-killer. The goal of the court hearing was to restrict his rights so that the grandmother could be a full-fledged legal representative. The judge refused to restrict parental rights. This is nonsense for all of Russia,» Krupin clarified.
As a result, the grandmother supports the child at her own expense, without receiving the due payments. She has to renew temporary guardianship every month since permanent guardianship cannot be arranged due to the father retaining parental rights.
Circumstances of the Crime
The tragedy occurred on 9 April 2025. Elena came to her former husband«s apartment to pick up their son. The man had previously taken the boy from kindergarten without informing the mother.
According to neighbors« recollections, an argument began in the apartment. Residents heard screams and crashes. One of the neighbors even called the mother of Elena»s former husband so that she would come and calm her son, but it was too late. As the investigation established, the man grabbed a knife and inflicted more than 25 stab wounds on the woman. The two-year-old child saw his father killing his mother. A psychologist subsequently worked with the boy.
After the incident, the district administration where Elena worked published a farewell post. Dozens of comments from grieving colleagues and acquaintances gathered under it. Everyone spoke of Elena as a radiant and good-natured woman. From her first marriage, she left behind an 11-year-old daughter.
The criminal case against Elena«s former husband continues to be investigated. The accused is in a pre-trial detention center, and the court has set the term of his arrest until 9 February 2026.
