Daughter neglected mother, demands inheritance in court

In October 2025, a resident of Sverdlovsk Oblast filed a lawsuit in the Tavdinsky District Court seeking to restore the six-month deadline for accepting inheritance from her mother, who died in December 2024. The estate included a residential house, two land plots, and a cash deposit of approximately 1.5 million rubles ($15,000 at current rates).

The investigation revealed that the daughter had not maintained a relationship with her mother for years, did not visit her, and provided no assistance. The elderly woman died of hypothermia in her own unheated house. The death of the 84-year-old was discovered by a neighbor who regularly visited her. He noticed the absence of signs of life, after which police broke into the locked house and found the body.

«The woman lived in the same city as her mother, but had not spoken to her for years, did not visit or care for her. The death of the 84-year-old woman was discovered by a neighbor who periodically visited the elderly lady. The man became alarmed when he lost sight of his neighbor, her house was locked from the inside, and there were no signs of life in the house. Police officers discovered the woman’s body in the house. The cause of death was hypothermia; the pensioner froze in an unheated house,» — the press service of the Sverdlovsk courts reported.

The funeral was conducted at state expense. The court dismissed the claim, noting that the daughter, as a close relative, should have taken an interest in her mother’s fate and health. «Family relationships imply not only the possibility of making property claims regarding inheritance, but also showing attention to the testator during their lifetime,» the court ruling emphasized. Ignorance of the mother’s death was not recognized as a valid reason for missing the legally established deadline. The woman’s lawsuit was rejected.