Father strangles 3-year-old, police say, after child found dead

The 3-year-old boy who went missing in an Armenian village on October 27 and was found dead a few days later was allegedly murdered by his father, Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan told reporters on Monday.

Tigran Ovanesov, the three-year-old son of Armen Ovanesov and Parandzem Vatyan, a family from the village of Tsapatagh in Gegharkunik Province, was last seen playing outside with his five-year-old brother around 4:00 p.m. on October 27. A major search and rescue operation was launched, and his body was found near the village on November 2.

“After the two brothers left the house, they met their father, who killed the child by strangulation,” Sargsyan said.

Asked about the motive, the minister added: “I should note that the father stated the incident occurred within the context of certain intra-family disputes.” She did not elaborate. 

The father of the child has been arrested.