Russia’s Prosecutor-General’s Office has asked the U.S. Justice Department for regular updates about the circumstances surrounding the death of a Russian boy adopted by an American family.
A spokeswoman said on February 21 the office was awaiting the autopsy results from Ector County, Texas, where 3-year-old Max Shatto — known in Russia as Maksim Kuzmin — died last month.
However, Ector County Sheriff Mark Donaldson told RFE/RL Russian officials wouldn’t be allowed to participate in his investigation.
Shirley Standefer, Ector County’s chief medical examiner, told RFE/RL there were bruises on the boy’s body, but she could not yet say if they were caused by abuse.
Russian Foreign Ministry official Konstantin Dolgov said on February 21 there were reasons to believe the boy died of “cruel and inhuman treatment.”