A grandad burned his 11-month-old grandson alive in a furnace after the child’s crying annoyed his wife.
Maxim Sagalakov was left with his grandparents by his mother Viktoria, 20, in the Khakassia district of Russia last year.
After coming home, she found the baby’s charred remains in the stove of the family’s house after the grandad threw him in while drunk on vodka.
The child’s crying had annoyed a drunk Zhanna Miyagasheva, 43, and she “started to suffocate the boy until he was silent”, a court heard.
Her husband Alexander Miyagashev, 48, then took the boy and placed him in the burning stove.
Senior prosecutor Maxim Rodionov told the court forensic analysis “reliably established that the death of the child occurred precisely because of the actions of Alexander Miyagashev, since he placed him in the furnace and burned the boy”.
The child died from burns to 100% of his body and carbon monoxide poisoning.
Sentencing the couple, judge Viktor Galimov said: “The forensic expert explained that before being placed in the stove the child had a heartbeat.
“He was breathing, with a normal body temperature. That is, there were signs of life.”
The grandad had also burned puppies and a cat, the court heard.
In court, the wife and husband each blamed the other for the appalling crime.
“I was heavily asleep,” the grandmother said.
“How could I do this with my beloved grandson? People say grandchildren are sweeter than children. The last time I saw him was alive and well.”
Alexander denied putting the baby in the stove and told the judge: “Your Honour, I did not kill him. She killed him.
I smoked, went to sleep, then went to the toilet. She told me: ‘I killed our grandson’.”
Neighbour Evgeniy Borgoyakov told Russian television the grandfather had “turned mad from alcohol”.
He said: “We hear he pushed the baby into the wood-burning stove. That was it.”
Other neighbours said the couple often looked after the child and previously took good care of him.
The mum she could not believe her parents had killed her child and reportedly plans to appeal the sentence.
After his death, she posted an emotional message on social media.
“Rest in peace, my beloved son,” she wrote.
“My dear little son. My pain does not ease even for a minute. How will I cope with it that you are not with me?
“I can’t hug you. Only your photograph is here with your kind and tender look.
“I look at your picture and you are smiling to me. I miss you so much my son.
“Please come to see me just for one second. Come to see me in my dreams.
“I know that you see everything now because you are flying so high.”
