In a chilling tale of radical beliefs and fatal experimentation, a Russian father’s extreme lifestyle choices led to the tragic death of his newborn son. Maxim Lyutyi, a 44-year-old lifestyle blogger, confessed to starving his infant son, Kosmos, in a misguided attempt to prove that the baby could survive solely on sunlight. This catastrophic experiment resulted in Kosmos succumbing to pneumonia and severe malnutrition.
Lyutyi and his partner, Oxana Mironova, 34, neglected to provide their less-than-one-month-old baby with the essential nourishment needed for survival. Now, Lyutyi faces up to eight years in prison and a hefty fine for intentionally inflicting grievous bodily harm. In his final court appearance in Sochi, Lyutyi admitted his guilt, after initially trying to place the blame on Mironova, who received a two-year non-custodial sentence of correctional labor.
Lyutyi’s obsession with extreme diets, including raw foods and prana-eating—a practice claiming that people can live on sunlight without food or water—drove his bizarre and dangerous actions. He even barred Mironova from breastfeeding Kosmos, insisting that sunlight would suffice for the baby’s nutrition.
An insider revealed, “He wanted to experiment on the child, feed him purely with the sun, and then advertise it to others that this is how you can eat.” Lyutyi’s radicalism extended beyond dietary choices, as he was accused of running a “sect” and exerting coercive control over Mironova. Despite her family’s pleas, Mironova remained under his influence, seen as little more than a compliant “slave.”
Relatives described Mironova’s fear of Lyutyi and her desperate attempts to secretly breastfeed their baby. Olesya Nikolayeva, Mironova’s cousin, expressed the family’s disbelief and sorrow: “He forced her not to feed the baby. Her boyfriend believed that the sun was feeding the baby… How is it possible to feed the baby with sunlight? A baby needs his mother’s milk.”
The extent of Lyutyi’s delusion became tragically clear as Kosmos wasted away without proper nourishment. When the couple finally sought medical help for their emaciated child, it was too late. Doctors were unable to reverse the severe effects of malnutrition.
Oxana’s mother, Galina, shared her anguish over the situation, revealing her desperate attempts to support her daughter financially while witnessing the tragic events unfold. “He forbade her to feed the child… She secretly bought baby food,” Galina recounted, illustrating the oppressive control Lyutyi held over Mironova.
In a stark courtroom scene, Lyutyi, once a fervent advocate for extreme lifestyle choices, now finds himself confined and facing the consequences of his reckless beliefs. Meanwhile, Mironova faces her own punishment for her involvement in the infant’s death.
This harrowing story serves as a sobering reminder of the perils of fanaticism and the catastrophic outcomes that can result from neglecting a vulnerable child’s most basic needs. As the court delivers its verdict, the haunting memory of baby Kosmos stands as a poignant testament to the dangers of misguided convictions.
