Russian ombudsmen says 20 years not enough for Cravers

MOSCOW, September 9 (Itar-Tass) -- Russian child ombudsmen Pavel
Astakhov believes a 20-year sentence would be too mild for an American
couple charged with killing their adopted Russian son.
"You have to pay with your life for the life of a child. If there is
capital punishment, let it be execution, if no - a life sentence," he told
a press conference on Thursday.
Michael Craver, 46 and his wife Nanette, 54, adopted Vanya
Skorobogatov and his twin sister Dasha from a Chelyabinsk orphanage in
2003. The seven-year-old boy called Nathaniel by the adoptive parents died
at a Pennsylvania hospital in August 2009. He had nearly 80 external
injuries, including 20 to his head. Detectives said that the death
resulted from beating and hunger.
Astakhov said "the position of the prosecution is changing and
charging a less grave article. Instead of capital punishment they ask for
20 years in prison although the prosecutor has not yet finally requested
punishment."
As for the claims of the defense that the boy died of injuries which
he inflicted himself, Astakhov said "it is disgusting and mean to accuse
the dead child of inflicting injuries to himself."