A national disgrace !

A total of 238 children have died in state-run homes in the country over the past decade, the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee said in a report Monday (September 20th). According to the document, three quarters of these deaths could have been prevented: 31 were caused by starvation, 84 were the result of exhaustion and two children died as a result of violence. In some cases, children were tied to their beds or wheelchairs or were given strong tranquilising medicines to be "chemically immobilised". Chief Prosecutor Boris Velchev told reporters Monday that investigations are under way in connection with 166 of the reported deaths. "In these cases there is enough evidence to suspect criminal negligence," he said.