Blue Whale death group ‘organiser’, 19, is charged with double murder in Russia after teenage boy and girl are killed by trains
- The unnamed man, 19, was arrested after Maria, 14, and Alexander, 16, were killed by trains in separate incidents three days apart in western Lipetsk region
- He is accused of running so-called Blue Whale death groups on social media
- Participants of the groups are lured into sinister ‘games’ where they can be coaxed into taking their own lives
The alleged organiser of an online death group targeting vulnerable children has been detained and charged with double murder in Russia after a teenage boy and girl were killed by trains.
The unnamed man, 19, was arrested after Maria, 14, and Alexander, 16, died in separate incidents three days apart at the same railway station in the western region of Lipetsk.
He is accused of running so-called Blue Whale groups on social media in which participants are lured into sinister and dangerous ‘games’ where they can be coaxed into taking their own lives.
The unnamed man, 19, was arrested after Maria, 14, (left) and Alexander, 16, (right with Maria) died in separate incidents three days apart at the same railway station in the western region of Lipetsk
The suspect (pictured while detained) is accused of running so-called Blue Whale groups on social media in which participants are lured into sinister and dangerous ‘games’ where they can be coaxed into taking their own lives
Maria was killed by an express train at Dolgorukovo railway station on 11 June and three days later Alexander died after being hit by another train as he rode his motorbike.
Before Maria died, she recorded a video in tears and said she was a member of a Blue Whale death group with 524 members.
‘I have run out of time,’ Maria said in the video, according to Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper citing law enforcement sources.
‘A new wave is starting, there will be many victims,’ she said, adding: ‘Please spread this information to stop this. I played. There are 524 of us.’
The man, from the western city of Yessentiki in the Stavropol region, is suspected of being behind the teenager’s deaths.
Before Maria (left) died, she recorded a video in tears (right) and said she was a member of a Blue Whale death group with 524 members
As many as 50 children have been contacted by the FSB secret service and state investigators amid fears the suspect was seeking to coax other young people to take their own lives.
‘The detainee created a number of groups in a messenger, where participants passed various tasks, causing them to fall into a psychological trap where parents, family, and friends were criticised,’ said a statement from the Russian Investigative Committee.
Alexander (pictured) died after being hit by a train
‘Depression, violence to others, and dangerous ways out of difficult life situations were promoted.’
The committee, which probes serious crimes in Russia, added: ‘The organiser of these groups was exposed as soon as possible. He has already been charged.’
A video issued by law enforcement shows the man being interrogated.
An investigative ‘task force’ has questioned ‘more than 50 teenagers who were in the destructive groups and a wide range of witnesses’.
Searches have been conducted in ten regions of Russia. The criminal investigation continues.
The accused faces between eight and 20 years in jail if convicted.
Several years ago a number of deaths of teenagers in Russia and other countries were attributed to notorious Blue Whale or similar online ‘games’.
Children are reported to be ‘brainwashed’ by sick ‘mentors’ to complete 50 steps – involving exhaustion and self harm – which culminates in suicide.