Mother kills her kids believing they were possessed by demons – media

Law enforcement officials in Yekaterinburg, Russia's fourth-largest city, have launched a criminal investigation into the gruesome murder of three minors, as media reports suggest their mother believed her children were possessed by demons.

The Investigative Committee of the city's Kirovsky District said they have opened a criminal case into the "murder of two or more minors," according to a press release on Monday.

As part of the investigation, teams of forensic specialists and operatives have been sent to the murder scene, while neighbors and the owners of the apartment where the murders occurred are being interviewed. Police are also going door-to-door to establish more details about the incident and learn more about the family.

Some Russian media outlets have reported that the 37-year-old woman had mental issues. One source told Izvestia that she may have decided to smother her children – two boys aged ten and 15, as well as a five-month-old girl – believing they had been possessed by demons, something she had allegedly told her relatives prior to the murders.

Police say they will issue a full statement on the incident when various scenarios have been investigated, whether the family was registered and why they were renting an apartment.

The regional commissioner for children’s rights confirmed his participation in the investigation to focus on if there were any tipoffs or flags that could have helped predict the tragic incident.