A 9-year-old boy was abandoned to live by himself in an unheated apartment for two years. His mother, Anna, left him behind when she relocated to France with her boyfriend, failing to return to care for her son.

The boy was eventually found by neighbors after he knocked on their door seeking food. They were astonished to learn he had been living alone and promptly alerted the authorities.

It was revealed that the boy had been living in the apartment since he was just 7 years old. His only support came from sporadic financial help his mother occasionally sent. The apartment’s heating system had failed, forcing him to endure two brutal Russian winters without it.

Once the neighbors informed the authorities, the boy was taken to a hospital where he was treated for malnutrition and frostbite. Authorities are now searching for his mother.

While cases like this are rare, they are not unheard of, particularly in smaller towns where there is limited oversight and fewer resources available for vulnerable children.

The boy is currently staying in a shelter where he is finally receiving the care and attention he has lacked for the past two years. Authorities are working to secure a permanent solution for his future.