Story By: Feza Uzay, Sub-Editor: Marija Stojkoska, Agency:  Newsflash

This widowed mother-of-five who posted pictures of herself lying on a bed covered in banknotes that she said was from her children’s benefits has lost custody of her daughters after another binge-drinking episode.

Tamara Chusovskaya, 38, from the village of Listvyanka in the district of Cherepanovsky in Russia’s Novosibirsk Oblast region, became well known after posting the photos on social media of her ‘bathing’ in her children’s benefits money while drunk.

The photos not only caused outrage among netizens, they also got her in trouble with the social services when they became aware of her way of life and the conditions her children were living in.

After losing her husband to suicide in March 2019, Chusovskaya reportedly developed a drinking habit and became known for hanging out in clubs and regularly drinking with her friends.

Local media said Chusovskaya was on the verge of losing custody of her children several times, but each time she managed to prove in court that she was able to raise them.

However, social workers and locals did not believe the woman and were convinced that she was only pretending to be an exemplary mother during the hearings.

According to the authorities, she lives on her children’s money, constantly drinks, has been involved in multiple fights over the years, and has even shown up drunk to pick up her children from school.

A neighbour told local media: “She is covered in tattoos, piercings, and lives like a rock star. Does she do something for a living? She receives benefits, and five days later, she asks for a loan.

“She takes pictures of children with cakes and posts them on social networks, and a few days later, the children come to the store to get noodles, they have nothing to eat.”

This time, after violating the court’s requirement to not drink yet again, the mother-of-five was finally separated from her young daughters after neighbours reported her to the police, according to reports.

The three youngest daughters were placed in a family centre, and the two adolescent girls were taken to an orphanage for the time being.

Chusovskaya told the media portal KP-Novosibirsk: “My children were taken away, I am not in a position to comment on the situation. My lawyer and I are preparing for the upcoming trial.”

The court hearing has been postponed to the end of February.

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