Man kills wife, 9-year-old daughter and pets in Zhytomyr region: he was detained. PHOTO
In the village of Kotivka, Radomyshl community, Zhytomyr region, a man killed his wife and young daughter during a family quarrel. He also killed his cats and dog and injured his neighbour. He has already been detained and taken into custody.
This was reported by the police of Zhytomyr region, Censor.NET reports.
Police found that on 4 October, a quarrel arose between the couple at home. During the conflict, the drunken man injured his 42-year-old wife with a kitchen knife and stabbed his 9-year-old daughter multiple times. They died.
A neighbour who tried to intervene in the conflict also sustained stab wounds. In addition, the man killed two of his own cats and a dog.
The woman was hospitalised. The animals died from their injuries.
Law enforcement officers detained the 43-year-old man on the same day. Soon after, investigators notified the man of suspicion of the premeditated murder of two people, including a young child (Article 115(2)(1) and (2) of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), of completed attempted murder committed by a person who had previously committed premeditated murder (Article 15(2), paragraph 13(2) of the Criminal Code), and of cruelty to animals (Article 299(3) of the Criminal Code).
On 6 October, the court remanded the suspect in custody without the right to be released on bail. He faces up to 15 years in prison or life imprisonment for his actions.
The police also found that the family had been registered since 2023 as being in difficult life circumstances. The couple had five children, three of whom were minor girls, aged 15, 11 and 9.
At the end of August 2025, a court stripped both parents of their parental rights, but as of October 4, the two younger daughters had not been removed from the family. Another minor — a 15-year-old girl — had recently been living separately from her parents, together with her brother and sister in another city.
On the day of the tragedy, the 11-year-old girl was staying with friends in the neighbourhood. She has now been placed under the care of her relatives.
Law enforcement officers are checking the execution of the court decision by the guardianship and custody authorities in the framework of criminal proceedings under Part 2 of Article 367 of the Criminal Code - official negligence.
