Due to his suspected mental retardation, he was switched from another orphanage to Sludyanka after nearly a year. Russian children such as Victor end up in orphanages for a variety of reasons, but only a portion of them have actually lost both parents. Orphanage officials say that Victor's mother likely lost her parental rights because of alcoholism, a common reason for children to be taken by the government. Many children, especially the mentally and physically handicapped, are abandoned, because parents are unable or unwilling to care for them. Widespread poverty among Russia's working class adds to the problem.
Social factors are usually the cause.
He still can't eat as much as is necessary for him to recuperate. Children with serious cases of rickets get so weak that they don't develop physically or mentally. Only with the continued support of American Red Cross and other donors can Sludyanka continue to help children like Victor. Unfortunately, Patrushev said, the Sludyanka orphanage, which runs mostly on donated dollars, is in a constant struggle to find funds, especially considering the poor state of Russia's economy. Staff members sometimes wait months to receive their salaries, the children have few toys and pieces of cloth suffice as diapers.