News, views and top stories in your inbox. Don't miss our must-read newsletter Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

A mother has been accused of strangling her nine-year-old daughter to death then jumping out of an eighth-floor window after ‘having a mental breakdown’ in Russia.

Maria Russkikh , 29, survived the fall and was rushed to hospital in the city of Novosibirsk, southwestern Siberia.

According to local reports police suspect the mother, who had been diagnosed with cancer, bludgeoned and strangled her daughter to death before jumping out of the window in a suspected suicide bid.

She was found lying on the snow and moaning in pain by residents of her apartment block who called emergency services.

A male resident said to local media: "The woman was almost naked. Her legs and hands were covered with blood though there were no wounds on her body.

"I asked her what happened but she did not reply.

(Image: VK)

"She was only saying, 'Help me, I cannot feel my legs and arms'."

Paramedics loaded the woman in the ambulance as police officers entered her apartment and discovered her daughter, nine, lying dead in a pool of blood near the front door.

Forensic examination found the child had been hit on the head with a heavy object before being strangled to death.

The blood found on Russkikh's body belonged to her daughter, investigators said.

The mother, who reportedly has terminal cancer, left a death note in the apartment.

(Image: VK)

According to a source, the note said: "I cannot live with these unbearable headaches anymore. Forgive me."

At the end of her letter Russkikh wrote that 'she loves her daughter very much', the source reported.

The mother is now at a hospital where she is being treated for numerous fractures she had received due to the fall. Doctors say her condition is serious but stable.

A statement of the local Investigative Committee said: "According to the investigation, on January 16, the woman strangled her nine-year-old daughter to death.

(Image: kp.ru)

"After that she made an attempt to commit suicide and was hospitalised with numerous injuries.

"The suspect will be placed into custody after she is discharged from hospital."

Police have opened a criminal case for murder of a minor. Detectives suspect the woman had a mental breakdown triggered by her illness before she killed the girl and tried to take her own life.

A woman living next door told local media: "The woman was a housewife. She almost never left the apartment. Her daughter constantly carried heavy bags from the local grocery store.

"The woman's husband is a military man. He was always at work."

Samaritans (116 123) operates a 24-hour service available every day of the year.

If you prefer to write down how you’re feeling, or if you’re worried about being overheard on the phone, you can email Samaritans at jo@samaritans.org.