Teenager fell asleep in Aktau entryway: what the inspection revealed

In Aktau, a photograph of a 14-year-old boy who fell asleep on the stairwell landing of a residential building sparked discussion on social media. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Kursiv Media.

Alongside it, claims spread that the child had allegedly not slept at home for five days, according to HALYQSTAN. After that, specialists checked the circumstances of the incident.

The boy was noticed by a woman passing by, who covered him with a blanket. The publication worried residents, and accusations appeared against the parents.

According to the Mangystau Region Department for the Protection of Children's Rights, the teenager went out for a walk on the evening of October 8. Around 22:30, his mother still saw him in the courtyard.

Later, as the parents told representatives of the agency, the boy went into the entryway, where he was waiting for a friend, and fell asleep on the second floor.

Dilyara Turina, a member of the Commission on Juvenile Affairs of the Mangystau Region, refuted information that the teenager had not appeared at home for five days. According to her, the mother is raising six children, one of whom has a disability. The woman searched for her son until morning, did not sleep and was very worried.

Turina urged social media users not to rush to judgment and noted that the family needs help, not harassment.

Specialists from the Department for the Protection of Children's Rights and the Center for Psychological Support visited the family and studied the situation. As reported by Lada.kz with reference to the agency, the child's condition is good. The teenager was provided with psychological support, and explanatory work was conducted with the mother.

"Currently, constant communication has been established between the responsible specialists and the family, and the child's situation is under control. Work to support the psychological state of the minor and ensure his safety continues," the department said.

Earlier, Kursiv wrote that during the "Safe Home" campaign, about 800 teenagers needed help, and 127 of them were placed in adaptation centers. In the Pavlodar Region, police found four young children without supervision — the Ministry of Internal Affairs emphasized that the primary task of such inspections is the protection of the child.