Police in Orekhovo-Zuyevo have detained two teenage girls after finding a missing sixth-grade boy stabbed to death in an abandoned house basement.
The child was reported missing by his mother on August 26, prompting a search by police. Officers discovered his body the following day with multiple knife wounds inside the basement of a deserted building.
Authorities detained two girls, aged 15 and 17, on suspicion of carrying out the attack. Investigators state that the suspects lured the boy into the abandoned building under the pretext of drinking beer, inflicted multiple knife wounds, and dumped his body into the basement.
According to the Telegram channel Mash, the slaying has been linked to the television series Squid Game. Just 20 hours before the crime, one of the detained girls reposted a video clip on TikTok featuring scenes from Squid Game in which characters violently kill people.
Second violent case linked to show
The slaying marks the second violent incident in Russia connected to the show within weeks. On August 17, a 16-year-old girl launched a knife attack on two sisters inside their apartment in Ufa, the capital of Russia's Republic of Bashkortostan.
The attacker entered the sisters' home in the Zelenaya Roshcha neighborhood of Ufa and assaulted them with a knife under the pretext of offering a hug. The 10-year-old brother of the victims managed to call neighbors for help, who then summoned emergency medical services and law enforcement officers to the scene.
Both sisters were hospitalized in heavy condition, with doctors attempting to save their lives. Police noted that the attacker was a classmate of the older sister and that the two had been involved in a long-standing serious conflict.
Prior to the assault, the 16-year-old suspect walked through local streets dressed in a costume from Squid Game to frighten children. Witnesses frequently spotted her sitting outside the victims' building or lingering in their entrance wearing a black outfit with a hood.
Background and previous incidents
Orekhovo-Zuyevo is an industrial town located in the Moscow region, approximately 85 kilometers east of the capital city. Ufa, situated over 1,100 kilometers to the east, serves as the administrative center of the Republic of Bashkortostan.
Squid Game is a popular South Korean survival drama television series depicted on streaming platforms, featuring contestants competing in deadly versions of traditional children's games. The show gained widespread global popularity, though its graphic depictions of violence have drawn scrutiny from authorities regarding youth safety.
Law enforcement agencies continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of the sixth-grader in Orekhovo-Zuyevo and the earlier knife attack in Ufa as both cases remain under active inquiry.
