Siberian feral child 'raised by dogs'
Siberian Feral child 'raised by dogs'
Thu, 28 May 2009 08:25:22 GMT
http://www.presstv.com/detail.aspx?i...tionid=3510212
Feral children is a human child who has lived isolated from human contact from a very young age.
Russian officials say caretakers are observing a Mowgli-like feral child found in Siberia apparently "brought up" by cats and dogs.
The five-year-old, discovered living in a squalid flat in the Siberian city of Chita, has never been allowed outside and has adopted the behavior of the animals, the BBC reported Wednesday, citing police.
A police statement said the girl had the "clear attributes of an animal," adding that the child was also unable to speak.
They added that she “barked like a little dog" and jumped at the door when her caregivers exited the room.
"For five years, the girl was 'brought up' by several dogs and cats and had never been outside," the statement said.
The girl's mother is being questioned by the police over possible neglect as the child was discover unwashed and dressed in filthy clothes.
The police said the girl had managed to master "animal language only", but seemed able to understand Russian.
Earlier in the year, President Dmitry Medvedev urged efforts aimed at improving the lives of an estimated 750,000 children in Russia living in "socially hazardous conditions".
In the past, there have been cases of fake "feral children". The website FeralChildren.com lists some hoaxes including "The Wild Boy of Burundi" and "The Delphos Wolf Girl". However, the latest case appears to be authentic.
