Man detained in central Riga on suspicion over relative's death

The State Police report that on 5 November this year a woman of pension age was found dead in an apartment in central Riga. Officers detained a relative of the woman on suspicion of a crime the same day, and on 7 November a court ordered the man held in custody as a preventive measure.

Call to the apartment

Police received a call about the woman's death. On arrival, officers found a dead woman on the floor showing obvious signs of a violent death. They detained her relative at the scene. He was born in 1978 and lived in the same household as the senior.

A breath test showed the detained man had a blood alcohol level of 2.7 per mille. According to police, the suspect himself called the emergency services.

Investigation

Current information indicates the woman died of polytrauma inflicted by the relative, who struck her several times. The criminal case is being investigated by the 1st Division of the 1st Bureau of the Criminal Police Department of the State Police Riga Region Directorate under Section 125, Part 3 of the Criminal Law. It covers intentionally causing serious bodily harm that, through the offender's negligence, resulted in the victim's death.

The offence carries a prison sentence of three to 15 years, with or without confiscation of property, and probation supervision of up to three years or none.

Police are still working to establish the motive. As the investigation proceeds, the case may be reclassified under a different section.