A Mother's Unthinkable Act in Italian Town
A quiet community in Muggia, within Italy's Trieste province, has been shattered by a horrific event. Olena Stasiuk, a 55-year-old Ukrainian woman, has been accused of murdering her nine-year-old son, Giovanni, by slitting his throat with a kitchen knife inside their family home earlier this week.
A Father's Dreaded Discovery
The alarm was raised by Giovanni's father, Paolo Trame, after he lost contact with the pair. Police, responding to his call, forced their way into the property. They discovered the young boy's body on the bathroom floor, with authorities estimating he had been dead for several hours before their arrival. Officers immediately took Olena Stasiuk into custody.
Local media reports indicate that Stasiuk was already known to the local courts and mental health services. The tragedy occurred during what was said to be one of the first instances the mother and son were left alone together. This followed an eight-year custody battle between Olena Stasiuk and Paolo Trame, who separated back in 2017.
A Child's Unheeded Warnings
In a heartbreaking revelation, it has since emerged that Giovanni had expressed apprehension about being alone with his mother. During a session with a psychologist, who was preparing a report for the custody proceedings, the boy shared his dream of his parents reconciling. However, when directly questioned about the possibility of unsupervised time with his mother, he reportedly stated, 'I don't know if that's a good idea.'
Further poignant details have come to light, including that his father, Paolo, had given Giovanni a smartwatch as a gift to help him communicate during emergencies. Tragically, the device was not used on the night the young boy died.
A Community in Mourning
The town of Muggia has been plunged into grief. At a memorial service, a tearful Paolo Trame told mourners, 'That child was my whole life.' Friends of the young boy left touching tributes. One friend, Pietro, left a note with a drawing of a sailboat 'because I knew you liked it so much.' Another note, from the father of one of Giovanni's friends, read: 'Thank you for being my son's friend. Forgive us for not saving you. Forgive us.'
Olena Stasiuk is now formally under investigation for aggravated voluntary manslaughter. A local court is set to conduct an in-depth examination of her mental health with the help of an expert to determine if pre-trial detention is appropriate, citing a risk of her absconding. For the time being, the Ukrainian mother remains under guard at a local hospital.
