"I Know The Truth": Mother Breaks Silence On Daughter's Mysterious Death At Russian Plague Lab
The mother of a Russian scientist who died under mysterious circumstances at a high-security plague laboratory is speaking out, accusing medical authorities of allowing her daughter to die as questions mount over what happened inside the facility.
Darya Shipilova, 28, died October 2 after developing a rapidly progressing illness while working at the Irkutsk Anti-Plague Research Institute in Siberia, a facility that handles some of the world's most dangerous pathogens.
This week, Shipilova's mother raised explosive questions about the Russian government's official account.
"They simply let my daughter die," Svetlana Shipilova alleged, according to the Independent.
The grieving mother also challenged reports suggesting her daughter accidentally broke a test tube containing hazardous biological material, arguing that the laboratory's protective containers were virtually impossible to shatter.
"I know the truth," she reportedly declared.
Following Shipilova's death, authorities reportedly quarantined approximately 200 people and placed laboratory employees under observation.
Russia's public health watchdog, Rospotrebnadzor, maintains that Shipilova died from pneumonia of unknown origin, claiming tests have found no evidence linking her death to dangerous laboratory pathogens.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is demanding additional answers from Moscow.
Washington has sent a formal diplomatic request demanding additional information about the mysterious death, while the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring developments and coordinating with other federal agencies, the Washington Post reports.
President Donald Trump has said that he plans to speak directly with Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding the incident.
"We don't think so. We're going to find out soon enough, but we don't think so," Trump told reporters on Wednesday when asked if he believes that the lab leak is connected to a bioweapons program.
