Evil father, 49, is executed after torturing toddler son to death with life of 'pure hell'

Evil father, 49, is executed after torturing toddler son to death with life of 'pure hell' Warning: Distressing content - The court heard how the “wealthy” Taratuta couple inflicted a life of “pure hell” on their son Semyon, who was only 15 lbs when he tragically died An evil father who tortured his toddler son to death has been executed. Alexander Taratuta, 49, and wife Anastasia Taratuta, 40, were both convicted in 2023 for the horrific murder of their three-year-old son Semyon. The dad was shot by a state executioner in Belarus, the only country in Europe with a death penalty, as the mother was handed a 25-year prison sentence. She only avoided the death penalty as Belarus does not carry out capital punishment on women. Alexander Taratuta was secretly executed on Monday, according to Andrei Paluda, the coordinator of the Human Rights Defenders Against the Death Penalty in Belarus, as per The Sun. Belarus does not officially disclose when criminal are put to death. The death sentence was given to Taratuta in January 2024. The court heard how the “wealthy” Taratuta couple inflicted a life of “pure hell” on their son Semyon, who was only 15 lbs when he tragically died. He was described by a paramedic as being “like a skeleton, covered in skin”. They forced him to sleep on bare linoleum flooring , with him often being left numb due to the cold conditions. It was heard that his mother regular punched him, threw him at her husband or against a wall and chucked objects at him as punishment for soiling the floor. He was regularly deprived of food, often taunted by his parents. A picture on the toddlers gravestone shows the boy to have an injured nose due to the abuse. One court report said: “His parents, instead of watching over him, simply insulted, humiliated and beat him.” However, his father denied being abusive and claimed he was just "educating" him. In January 2023, he kicked Semyon in the head “to make him sit on the floor”. The toddler fell and “showed no signs of life”. “The boy was very thin, like a skeleton, covered in skin, looking like an African child with a big belly. “There was an abrasion on his head and a piece of hair was missing," said a paramedic. His eye socket was "torn almost to the temple" after the fatal blow. Belarus’ general prosecutor said the pair were motivated by “personal hostility” towards Semyon and had intended to kill him. The couple had two other children, their eldest daughter who they treated like a "princess" and their youngest child who they also reportedly gave lots of attention to. Following Semyon's death, his mother went and bought lollipops for her two other children. Alexander said in his final statement to the court, he regretted that his life had “turned out this way”. He said: “There were no intentions, no conspiracies. I didn’t want to kill, there were no such thoughts.” He added that he was sorry the last strike was “too strong”. Belarus is the only country in Europe where the death penalty still exists. Those on death row are blindfolded and forced to kneel before being shot in the back of the head, a method which dates back to executions carried out during Stalin's Soviet era.