Experts failed to identify the substance in the case of watermelon poisoning in Moscow

An examination of the case of Anton Kotov, an employee of a private company, who conducted pest control in the Magnit store and who was accused in the case of poisoning two people with watermelon bought there, failed to establish the substance that caused the death of people. This is reported by TASS with reference to the lawyer of the accused Andrey Sergeyev. According to him, the experts came to the conclusion that death was caused by poisoning with a destructive poison, the victims had liver and kidney damage.

According to the interlocutor of the agency, the examination also showed that as a result of the studies of organic compounds of toxic action, including nitrites, nitrates and FOS, no toxic effects were found. This, the lawyer explains, confirmed the absence of Kotov’s involvement in the alleged crime.

Recall that Anton Kotov, an employee of the Regional Disinfection Center LLC, is accused of committing a crime under Part 3 of Art. 238 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation. Earlier, the Presnensky Court sent him to a pre-trial detention center, but the Moscow City Court released him under house arrest. He himself does not admit guilt.

As the investigation established, in September 2021, a woman, her mother and a minor daughter were taken to hospitals from an apartment in a residential building on Sovkhoznaya Street in Moscow at various times with signs of acute intoxication. Despite the efforts of doctors, it was not possible to save an elderly woman and her granddaughter.

According to the preliminary conclusions of forensic medical examinations, the cause of their death is acute chemical poisoning.