In St. Petersburg, authorities investigated a case involving a 13-year-old runaway who appears to have stolen another person’s bicycle and left behind her foster grandmother. Reports indicate that about 47 local news items have covered the incident, underscoring its recency and public interest.
The escape is believed to have occurred on the evening of July 11. The grandmother, who acts as the girl’s guardian, informed police that the child left the family home in the village of Nizovskaya, located in the Luga District, earlier in the day and did not return. Investigators confirmed that the runaway took advantage of someone else’s bicycle and discarded it along a roadside, suggesting the act was impulsive rather than premeditated.
Prior to this incident, the girl had previously run away from her guardian and spent time in an abandoned dwelling. The grandmother has been caring for the underage girl, with the mother reportedly in prison, while also serving as guardian to the girl’s eight-year-old brother. Law enforcement found the younger child in a state of hunger and arranged for him to be taken to a social rehabilitation center, where his basic needs could be assessed and addressed.
On July 12, authorities located the girl’s older sister with a relative in the regional center. At present, there are no immediate threats to the child’s life or health, but officials are continuing to monitor the situation to ensure her safety and well-being.
Police indicated that the girl is expected to be placed into a rehabilitation facility as part of a broader child welfare response. In parallel, guardianship authorities will review the role of the elderly relative who is caring for the sister, with the aim of ensuring proper guardianship arrangements and ongoing support for all affected family members.
Earlier reports noted that two 16-year-olds had fled from Tambov to Tula to pursue college opportunities, illustrating a broader pattern of adolescent mobility and the challenges faced by families and guardians when youths disengage from home life.