A baby girl, abandoned at an airport shortly after birth, has been returned to Russia. The announcement was made by the Commissioner for Children’s Rights under the President of the Russian Federation, Maria Lvova-Belova, on her Telegram channel.

The infant, named Nicole, had her birth certificate and Russian citizenship processed at the Russian Consulate General in Antalya. Lvova-Belova stated that the situation, which had been under their control for eight months, had been successfully resolved, and that support for the girl would continue.

The girl’s mother, Ekaterina, a Russian citizen, was sentenced to 15 years in prison at the end of February 2025. The Antalya court convicted her of “attempted murder of a close relative.”

Ekaterina’s mother, who accompanied her daughter to the airport, was also detained but subsequently acquitted on February 19.

The incident occurred in mid-October 2024, when the 18-year-old woman gave birth in the restroom of Antalya airport. She left the newborn in the toilet and proceeded with her mother to passport control. Airport cleaning staff discovered the baby. Turkish authorities initiated a criminal case against Ekaterina, charging her with abandoning a child in danger. During interrogation, the woman claimed she was unaware of her pregnancy. Her lawyer conveyed that his client wished to return to Russia with her child and mother.