Story By: Gheorghi Caraseni, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News 

These allegedly alcoholic Russian parents are at risk of having their daughter taken away after they left the six-year-old girl with a friend and reportedly forgot about her for nearly a week as they binged on booze.

The incident took place in the north-western Russian city of Saint-Petersburg when 53-year-old Roman Shestopalov and his wife Maria asked an unnamed friend to take care of their six-year-old daughter for one night to ring in the new year.

However, the girl continued to stay with the family friend because her parents were reportedly expecting the six-year-old to make her own way home.

Local media said that the girl also felt more comfortable at the friend’s house because her parents are allegedly alcoholics and she knew they would be drinking heavily.

After a few days, the Shestopalovs failed to contact the friend or the local authorities about their ‘missing’ daughter and instead posted a message on social media claiming that the friend had kidnapped the girl, according to reports.

Local media said that the father was finally willing to look for his daughter on the sixth day, but instead found some more alcohol in their apartment and continued to drink.

After concerned netizens called the police following the social media allegation, the young girl was found safe and sound with the family friend.

According to local media, the authorities are currently considering taking away the alleged alcoholics’ parental rights and placing her with a foster family.

However, the parents responded: “What do you mean, deprive us of our parental rights? Such stupidity! Maximum punishment should be a fine, that’s it!”

Netizen ‘Vasilisa Krivosheeva’ commented: “Compulsory therapy and sterilisation, that is the only thing suitable for such human beings.”

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.