U.S. authorities are investigating the death of a three-year-old boy adopted from Russia by a U.S. family.
Russian officials claimed on February 18 that the boy, identified in the United States as Max Shatto and known as Maksim Kuzmin in Russia, was killed by his adoptive mother in Texas on January 21.
Russian Children’s Rights Ombudsman Pavel Astakhov, citing U.S. investigators, said the woman had beaten the child and fed him psychotropic drugs.
A Texas Child Protective Services spokesman said authorities have not yet determined whether the allegations of abuse and neglect were true.
Texas authorities said they were waiting for autopsy results.
The boy’s father has declined to comment.
In December, Russia passed a controversial law banning adoptions of Russian children by U.S. citizens.