21-year-old Viktoria Sagalakova found her son Maxim Sagalakov's charred body in the home of her parents. Police arrested Maxim's grandmother, Zhanna Miyagasheva, and grandfather, Alexander Miyagashev, for his murder. In court, the couple blamed each other for the murder of the child. The court sentenced the couple to serve jail terms for their roles in Maxim's death.

The family living in the Kharoy village of Russia's Khakassia region shared the responsibility of caring for the infant. Neighbours of the couple claimed that Viktoria often left the child under the care of his grandparents who took good care of him. However, speaking to local media, one neighbour had claimed that Alexander had "turned mad" from drinking alcohol.

The court heard that the child's crying had annoyed Zhanna. The drunk grandmother smothered the boy until he was unresponsive. After the child was silent, Alexander supposedly placed the child in the burning stove while he was still alive. The court was also told that Alexander had a history of burning animals like cats and puppies alive.

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An 11-month-old boy was strangled and then brunt alive by his grandparents for crying. Sina Weibo

Maxim Rodionov, a senior prosecutor, shared the forensic analysis of Maxim's remains. The analysis detailed the cause of death. Maxim died of 100 percent burns to his body and carbon monoxide inhalation. It indicated that the child had a heartbeat and was breathing before he was burnt alive by his grandparents.

The Daily Mail reported that the grandparents blamed the death on each other. Zhanna claimed that she loved her grandson and could not have committed such a horrendous crime. She said that she had seen Maxim in good health before going to sleep. She claimed her husband was responsible for the death of the child while she was asleep.

Alexander contradicted her narrative, claiming he was the one asleep during the murder. He told the court that he had smoked and then gone to sleep. When he awoke, he went to the toilet, after which his wife told him that she had killed their grandson.

The court sentenced Alexander to 15 years in prison, and Zhanna to 9 years in prison. Viktoria is still in disbelief about her parents' crimes. She claimed that she will appeal the sentence.

Russia