Russian officials are set to commence a criminal investigation into the death of a baby who froze to death after he was placed on a balcony.
BBC reports that the seven-month-old boy was exposed to temperatures of -7C for five hours in the far-eastern Khabarovsk region.
It was gathered from local media sources that he was placed on the balcony to sleep in the fresh air.
The region’s health ministry later advised people not to leave young children outside unattended.
According to Russian news site Lenta, a preliminary report into the child’s death in the town of Nikolayevsk-on-Amur suggested that it was the result of hypothermia.
Hypothermia occurs when the body’s core temperature is lowered due to exposure to cold, and can happen even with mild temperatures if exposure is prolonged.
Taking young children outdoors to sleep is not uncommon in countries with colder climates.
The theory behind outdoor napping is that exposing children to fresh air, even during the winter, can help avoid coughs and colds.
