Student doctor and husband ‘hacked their eight-month-old daughter with knives and a meat grinder after child was ‘accidentally’ kicked to death’

A doctoral student and her husband are accused of aborting their eight-month-old daughter in Russia.

The child died when father Yakov Maiboroda (33) kicked his wife Anastasia (23) during an alleged domestic dispute, but punched the girl instead, Russian police sources say.

The blow killed the child at her apartment in the city of Rostov-on-Don, near Ukraine’s western border, sources say.

The pediatrician and her husband then dismembered the child with knives and an electric meat grinder, officials said.

They placed the girl’s remains in 13 plastic bags and the paramedic called the police to say she had been kidnapped.

Yakov Maiboroda was arrested by the police after he allegedly cut his young daughter

The Russian commission of inquiry said: “After finding that the child showed no signs of life, the couple took steps to hide the body.

“Apparently not involved in any crime, the dead girl’s 23-year-old mother subsequently reported her alleged abduction by unknown perpetrators to law enforcement.”

But when state investigators arrived at their apartment, they arrested the couple on suspicion of murder.

Shocked officials removed the electric meat grinder, bloodstained knives and 13 bags of human remains, the Baza media reported.

“The remains of the child’s body and other evidence showing her involvement in a particularly serious crime were found at her home,” said the commission.

Neighbors said there was “constant shouting” from the flat after the couple moved in six months ago.

They had previously been visited by social services.

“On the day of the murder, he was more violent than usual, then the noise and children’s screams suddenly stopped,” Mash-media reported.

“Neighbors sensed something was wrong, but they could not imagine that at that time the parents were behind the wall getting rid of their murdered daughter’s body.”

The report said: “Almost every day, other residents would hear the abuse of the spouse and the crying of a young child.

“They were visited by youth inspectors on several occasions during those months.”

Criminal proceedings have been initiated against the man, the manager of a honey producer, and his wife.

The couple were remanded in custody by a judge until June 28 pending further investigation.

“Investigative measures are currently being introduced in the criminal proceedings to clarify all the circumstances surrounding the crime,” the committee said.

The investigative commission published photos of the couple from Rostov-on-Don. Anastasia Maiboroda (left, in handcuffs) is arrested and taken to speak with officers

Officials took testimony from Yakov (right) and his wife before Russia’s investigative committee

Russian investigators found the child’s body in her apartment on Platon Klyata Street

Russia has a high domestic homicide rate by international standards, and there are signs that it has worsened during Vladimir Putin’s war on Ukraine.

In 2021, before the war, Time reported that up to one in five women in Russia was a victim of domestic violence.

Four years earlier, Putin had signed a law “partially decriminalizing” domestic violence.

Under the law, domestic violence that results in “minor harm” such as bruising should be considered a criminal offense punishable by a fine or up to 15 days in jail, according to The Moscow Times.

Ten percent of all people who die each year from domestic violence are Russians.

For confidential support, call the 24-hour domestic violence toll-free helpline on 0808 2000 247 or visit womensaid.co.uk.