In Mykolaiv, a court found a mother guilty of causing the death of her two-year-old son in the bathroom, but imposed a suspended sentence

In Mykolaiv, a court has handed down a sentence to the mother responsible for the death of a two-year-old boy in the bathroom. Photo: National Police

The Inhulskyi District Court in Mykolaiv has handed down a sentence to a mother who left her 2-year-old son unattended in the bathroom. The child died. The court found the mother guilty and imposed a sentence, but suspended its execution for a probationary period of one year.

This is stated in the judgement handed down by the court on 19 August.

As a reminder, on 7 April, medical staff reported the death of a 2-year-old boy in Mykolaiv to the police. According to the preliminary account, the 23-year-old woman left her son in the bathroom with the tap running and the drain blocked, and went to rest in another room.

The court’s judgement stated that the woman was aware she was leaving the child in danger, but left him unattended in the bathroom. She went to bed herself. Two hours later, she found the child showing no signs of life: the boy had drowned. The woman’s actions were classified under Part 3 of Article 135 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.

The court also noted that the parties had submitted a motion to approve a plea agreement. The woman pleaded guilty and expressed remorse. The prosecutor agreed to a sentence of up to four years’ imprisonment, suspended for a probationary period.

«The sentence for the serious offence committed has been agreed between the defendant and the prosecutor, taking into account the presence of mitigating circumstances — sincere remorse, active cooperation in the investigation of the criminal proceedings, the absence of aggravating circumstances, as well as the defendant’s personal circumstances—namely, that she is not registered with a psychiatrist or a narcologist, and that the probation service has issued a generally positive report on her—which is consistent with the circumstances of the case and is proportionate», the court’s judgment states.

The court approved the plea agreement. The woman was sentenced to four years’ imprisonment. However, she was exempted from serving the sentence, subject to a one-year probation period. The woman must report periodically to the probation service and notify them of any change of address or employment.

As a reminder, in Mykolaiv, a 34-year-old woman was sentenced to seven years’ imprisonment after her children died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.

The incident took place in October 2025. The Mykolaiv resident left her four-year-old son and three-year-old daughter alone in the flat one evening. The following day, upon returning home whilst under the influence of alcohol, she found the children showing no signs of life. On 29 October, the court remanded the woman in custody.

In December 2025, the public prosecutor’s office opened criminal proceedings on grounds of official negligence by officials of the Mykolaiv City Council following the children’s deaths. According to the public prosecutor’s office, the woman had previously been deprived of her parental rights in respect of her first child, and she had given up her second child at the maternity hospital.