Moscow, April 17: Maxim Lyutyi, a Russian influencer, has been sentenced to eight years in prison for causing the death of his month-old son, Kosmos. The infant died from โ€œpneumonia and emaciationโ€ after being subjected to a bizarre dietary regimen where he was only fed sunlight based on the fictional lore of comic book hero, Superman.

Mirror reported that Lyutyi, who has a substantial following of nearly 60,000 on Instagram, had shared his unorthodox parenting methods on social media. These included a strictly vegan โ€˜pranaโ€™ diet for Kosmos, supposedly deriving sustenance from spiritual energy-infused foods like berries. Lyutyi also believed in the โ€˜sunlight dietโ€™, an extreme practice akin to breatharianism, which posits that one can subsist solely on sunlight.ย US Shocker: 20-Year-Old Indian Student Killed by Unidentified Assailants in Boston, Body Found Inside Car Within Forest.

The infantโ€™s mother, Oksana Mironova, was reportedly forbidden from breastfeeding her child due to Lyutyiโ€™s extreme dietary beliefs. Despite her desperate attempts to secretly nourish her baby, Mironova was thwarted by Lyutyiโ€™s unwavering adherence to his diet plan.ย US Shocker: Nurse Charged With Killing Two Patients Through Excessive Insulin Doses Confesses To Attempting to Murder 19 More People in Pennsylvania.

The tragic saga culminated in Kosmosโ€™ untimely death due to malnourishment on March 8 last year. Although Lyutyi initially attempted to deflect blame onto Mironova, he eventually confessed to his role in his sonโ€™s death, citing negligence rather than malicious intent.

As the trial concludes, prosecutors are seeking a sentence of eight and a half years in prison for Lyutyi, accompanied by a ยฃ900 (Rs 94,000) fine. Mironova has been sentenced to two years of โ€˜correctional labourโ€™. Lyutyi, now in prison, has reportedly changed his ways and is eating meat.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 17, 2024 02:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).