A three-year-old boy has died in Fayzobod district after being brutally beaten, with his stepmother suspected of involvement, Radio Liberty’s Tajik Service, known locally as Radio Ozodi, reported.
The Fayzobod Police Department confirmed the child’s death and said the case is under investigation.
“The Fayzobod district prosecutor’s office is handling the inquiry,” police officials said, declining to provide further details.
According to Radio Ozodi, the child, identified as Yusufjon, was beaten on December 26 in the village of Sheramoni. Local authorities reported that a 31-year-old woman is suspected in connection with the beating and the child’s subsequent death.
Sources told the outlet that the boy died the following day while being transported to a hospital. The suspect has not been detained so far, as she is caring for a one-and-a-half-month-old infant.
Sources cited by Radio Ozodi also reported that a preliminary review found no signs of mental illness in the suspect. However, the woman reportedly had frequent conflicts with her mother-in-law. Authorities were said to be aware of the troubled family situation and had previously held a preventive conversation with her.
Investigators continue to examine all circumstances surrounding the child’s death. At the time of publication, no official statements had been made by the suspect or the victim’s relatives.
Earlier, another high-profile case of child abuse was reported in Tajikistan. In Khatlon province, police detained a woman seen in a video circulating on social media, in which she was beating her five-month-old baby.
Investigators determined that the incident stemmed from ongoing family conflicts between the spouses. According to the Interior Ministry, the woman deliberately recorded the act of violence and sent the video to her husband as an act of revenge. Investigative materials have been prepared, and authorities are considering further legal action. The woman was also given a formal warning about the inadmissibility of domestic violence and informed about child protection laws.
