A court in Uzbekistan’s Qashqadaryo region has sentenced a man who unofficially acted as the head of a kindergarten over the death of a 3-year-old child left inside a vehicle used to transport children, according to the verdict cited by UzNews.uz. The Kitab district court for criminal cases examined the case. According to case materials, the defendant drove kindergarten pupils in a car and on 4 June dropped the children off; he then closed the doors without checking whether all had exited and without recounting them.
Key Takeaways: The child remained in the car and died after being unable to breathe in the overheated cabin; the incident occurred on 4 June in Kitab district. The court found the man guilty under Article 167, Part 2, points b, v and g; Article 228, Part 2, point b and Part 3; and Article 116, Part 3 of Uzbekistan’s Criminal Code. He was sentenced to 5 years in a colony-settlement and banned from entrepreneurial activity for 3 years.
The case also revealed that the defendant had formally hired a citizen as an assistant teacher even though the person did not actually work at the organization while receiving a salary, according to the investigation materials. That detail widened the case beyond a single act of negligence, pointing to payroll and document irregularities at the preschool. The death also highlights the acute danger of leaving children in vehicles during hot weather: a parked car can heat rapidly, and a small child cannot open the doors or call for help without adult supervision.
In court, the man fully admitted guilt, said he regretted his actions and asked the court for leniency. The verdict nevertheless assessed his conduct under several provisions covering embezzlement or misappropriation, the production or use of forged documents, stamps, seals and forms, and the improper performance of professional duties. The court treated the child’s death as the most serious consequence of the failure to follow basic safety checks during transport.
The sentence provides for 5 years of imprisonment in a colony-settlement, along with a 3-year deprivation of the right to engage in entrepreneurial activity. The charges under Article 167 concern theft through appropriation or embezzlement; Article 228 covers the manufacture, forgery, sale or use of documents and related items; Article 116 addresses improper performance of professional duties. The combined charges indicate that the court considered both financial misconduct and the fatal lapse in supervision.
The verdict may still be subject to appeal, although no further procedural steps were immediately announced in the report. The case is likely to intensify scrutiny of child transport safety at preschools, attendance checks after trips and internal oversight of staff in Uzbekistan. Authorities have not yet announced specific additional measures, but the circumstances are expected to fuel calls for stricter routine inspections and clearer responsibility for kindergarten employees.
Source: uznews.uz