In a tragic tale of misguided beliefs and fatal experimentation, a lifestyle blogging father has admitted to the grievous act of starving his newborn son to death in a shocking bid to prove that the baby could subsist solely on sunlight. The harrowing outcome of this misguided endeavor resulted in the demise of his infant son, Kosmos, who succumbed to pneumonia and emaciation. Maxim Lyutyi, aged 44, and his partner Oxana Mironova, aged 34, failed to provide adequate nourishment to their less than one-month-old child, leading to this heartbreaking tragedy.
The Russian father now faces the daunting prospect of up to eight years behind bars along with a substantial fine for the heinous crime of intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm. This stark reality dawned on Lyutyi as he confessed his guilt during a final court appearance preceding his sentencing in Sochi. Initially, he attempted to shift the blame onto Mironova, who has already been handed a non-custodial sentence of two years’ correctional labor.
Lyutyi’s fixation on an extreme lifestyle, characterized by highly restrictive diets consisting of raw ingredients, manifested in his fervent advocacy for prana-eating—a practice where individuals abstain from food and water for prolonged periods, purportedly sustaining themselves solely on sunlight. Tragically, this zealotry led him to bar Mironova from breastfeeding their child, as he espoused his radical beliefs regarding sunlight sustenance.
An insider revealed, “He wanted to experiment on the child, feed him purely with the sun, and then advertise it to others that this is how you can eat.” Such fanaticism extended beyond dietary preferences, with Mironova’s mother, Galina, accusing Lyutyi of running a “sect” and exerting coercive control over her daughter. Despite her concerns, Mironova remained ensnared in Lyutyi’s grip, viewed by her family as little more than a compliant “slave.”
Relatives recounted Mironova’s fear of Lyutyi, describing her futile attempts to secretly breastfeed their baby amidst his oppressive regime. Olesya Nikolayeva, Mironova’s cousin, lamented, “He forced her not to feed the baby. Her boyfriend believed that the sun was feeding the baby… How is it possible to feed the baby with sunlight? A baby needs his mother’s milk.”
The extent of Lyutyi’s delusion became painfully apparent as Kosmos languished without proper sustenance. Despite eventually seeking medical intervention for their emaciated child, it was too late. Doctors could do nothing to reverse the devastating effects of severe malnourishment.
Oxana’s mother shared her anguish, recounting her futile attempts to support her daughter financially while witnessing the tragic unfolding of events. “He forbade her to feed the child… She secretly bought baby food,” she revealed, highlighting the insidious control exerted by Lyutyi over Mironova’s actions.
In a chilling courtroom scene, Lyutyi, the once-ardent advocate for extreme lifestyle choices, now finds himself confined within a cage, facing the consequences of his misguided beliefs. Meanwhile, Mironova, convicted of her role in the infant’s death, faces her own punishment.
The sobering tale of Maxim Lyutyi and Oxana Mironova serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of fanaticism and the devastating consequences of neglecting the most fundamental needs of a vulnerable child. As the court delivers its verdict, the haunting memory of baby Kosmos serves as a poignant reminder of the price paid for misguided convictions.