A man reportedly compelled his acquaintance to dig a grave after finding a video showing his six-year-old daughter being sexually abused. Vyacheslav Matrosov, aged 35, came across footage of his young child being coerced into sexual acts by Oleg Sviridov, 32, and decided to confront him. In an unsettling audio recording, the child pleaded with Sviridov to stop, expressing her distress and desire to go home.

Matrosov compelled Sviridov to dig a grave in a wooded area and urged him to end his own life. Initially facing charges of murder, Matrosov was later found that Sviridov’s injuries were self-inflicted after further investigation.

In 2022, Matrosov received an 18-month prison sentence, of which he served 12 months before being released, according to a report by the Express. Public support in Russia swayed in Matrosov’s favor upon learning that he had made the abuser dig his own grave in the forest.

Following his release, Matrosov shared a photo on social media with the caption “Home. Love very much.” The Krasnoglinsky Court in Samara convicted Matrosov of “encouraging” Sviridov to take his own life, resulting in an 18-month sentence in a strict regime prison colony.

If convicted of murder, Matrosov, a former rocket engine plant worker, could have faced up to 15 years in prison. The local community in the Samara region showed support for Matrosov after his involvement in the death of convicted sex offender Sviridov, drawing global attention to the case.

Residents of Pribrezhnoye generously donated funds to assist with Matrosov’s initial legal fees. Matrosov brought his friend to the forest and issued him an ultimatum.

A petition with 2,500 signatures emerged, advocating for Matrosov’s exoneration, with locals expressing gratitude for “protecting our children by eliminating a child sex offender.” Notable TV personality and former Russian presidential candidate Ksenia Sobchak publicly stated: “All parents are backing the killer of the pedophile.”