12-Year-Old Boy Murdered in Moscow Region: Two Schoolgirls Suspected

A 12-year-old schoolboy has been murdered in the Orekhovo-Zuyevo urban district of Russia's Moscow Region. Two underage girls, aged 15 and 16, have been detained as suspects in the murder. A court later ordered them to be held in custody for two months. This was reported by Meduza.

It is reported that the boy went missing on August 26 in the village of Kabanovo. A search operation began after his mother contacted the police. Volunteers were also involved in the search.

On August 27, the boy's body was found in the basement of an abandoned building. According to police, his body showed signs of violence and multiple stab wounds. A criminal case for murder has been opened.

As part of the investigation, two girls aged 15 and 16 living in the village were detained as suspects. According to media reports, the girls knew the victim and may have lured him to the abandoned building. Information has circulated that they planned the crime in advance, but these details have not yet been announced as final investigative conclusions.

Another version of events is being widely discussed. According to it, the suspect girls may have been influenced by the popular South Korean “Squid Game” series. The victim's mother also stated during the investigation that this theory is being considered. According to her, one of the suspects had posters of the series' characters in her room, and her social media page contained videos depicting violent scenes from the show.

Some media outlets report that the suspects filmed the murder for some kind of “video challenge,” while other sources claim they intentionally left their phones at home. These conflicting reports have not yet been confirmed by official authorities.

There have also been reports that a list containing the names of about 50 people was found among the suspects' belongings. However, there is no official confirmation of this information either.

The investigation is currently ongoing. Law enforcement agencies are determining the exact motive for the murder, the actions of the suspects, and the circumstances that led to the crime. Therefore, there is no basis to accept additional versions circulating on social media and in some media outlets as final truth.