Father suspected of killing 3-year-old son in Armenian village, says interior minister

Armenian Interior Minister Arpine Sargsyan said on Monday that preliminary findings suggest a father is suspected of killing his three-year-old son by strangulation in the village of Tsapatagh, Gegharkunik Province.

The child, Tigran Ovanesov, went missing on October 27. His body was found in a field approximately 60 meters from a sign marking the nearby village of Jil on November 2.

“According to initial data, this was a murder. The father killed the child by strangling him,” Sargsyan told reporters in the parliament, adding that this version was among those considered by investigators.

The minister noted that the victim’s brother, who has certain health issues, had been under observation by specialists to ensure his well-being and to obtain reliable information from him if possible.

“Early findings indicate the two brothers left their home and later encountered their father, who then killed the younger child by strangulation,” Sargsyan explained.

She revealed that the father told investigators the act occurred amid a domestic dispute and admitted to moving the child’s body afterward. Sargsyan declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.