Russian influencer sentenced to 8 Years of prison for the death of son fed with 'sunlight diet'

A Russian influencer known for his extreme dietary beliefs and unconventional parenting methods has been handed an eight-year prison sentence following the death of his one-month-old son. 

Maxim Lyutyi, described as a 'radical raw food fanatic', faced the court's judgment for the demise of his infant son, Kosmos, who passed away while he was being taken to a doctor in Sochi, Krasnodar. 

He succumbed to pneumonia and emaciation, which were consequences of the bizarre dietary rules that were imposed upon him.

Lyutyi's peculiar experiment, inspired by the legendary strength of comic book hero Superman, involved subjecting Kosmos to an extreme vegan 'prana' diet, which meant the son had to sustain on spiritual energy-infused foods and sunlight. 

The influencer, boasting a sizable Instagram following, openly shared his unorthodox parenting methods on social media, pressurising the child's mother, Oksana Mironova, to adhere to his stringent dietary rules that even forbade her from breastfeeding.

Mironova's futile attempts to nourish her baby in secrecy were suppressed by Lyutyi's steadfast belief in the 'sunlight diet.'

Galina, Mironova's mother, expressed remorse for not intervening earlier, recounting her daughter's gradual isolation under Lyutyi's manipulative influence. "Oksana lived there like a guinea pig," she lamented.

The heartbreaking ordeal reached its climax with Kosmos' untimely demise due to severe malnourishment on March 8 of the previous year. Lyutyi eventually confessed to his role in his son's death, pleading for leniency in sentencing, citing negligence rather than malicious intent.

Amidst the trial's conclusion, prosecutors are advocating for an eight-and-a-half-year prison sentence for Lyutyi, coupled with a £900 fine. Meanwhile, Mironova has also been sentenced to two years of 'correctional labour.'