A 14-year-old boy from the “Zhemchuzhina” children’s center drowned near Arena Park on June 4th. The boy was a resident of the institution and had reportedly run away that day.

The incident occurred while teenagers were celebrating a birthday on the shore and swimming together. He was the only one who drowned.

According to a source, the boy was considered a “good” child and was one of five children in his family. His funeral will be held on June 7.

Nadezhda Boltenko, the Commissioner for Children’s Rights in the Novosibirsk Region, reportedly visited the center and held a meeting following the incident.

The “Zhemchuzhina” center, located at 30 Vatutina Street, houses orphans and children without parental care, ranging in age from 3 to 18 years. Svetlana Dankova, the director of “Zhemchuzhina,” declined to comment on the tragedy, referring all questions to the Department of Social Policy.

The boy’s name, which was mentioned by a source, is also listed in the official VKontakte group for the “Zhemchuzhina” center, where he is recognized as a winner of various competitions.

In March 2023, another incident involving a resident of “Zhemchuzhina” occurred when a 15-year-old teenager crashed after jumping out of a building window in an attempt to escape the orphanage with a friend. Two employees were later found guilty of abuse of power for allegedly conspiring to tell eyewitnesses that the teenagers did not need medical assistance.