Hedgehog floorboards: how rehab worked in Dedovsk, where children were bullied
The court arrested the first defendants in the case of the torture of teenagers in a rehab near Moscow. The administrator of the institution, Vitaly Balabrikov, was sent to jail, and his 18-year-old assistant, who could have participated in the beatings, was placed under house arrest. According to investigators, from August to November 2025, a rehabilitation center for teenagers operated in the city of Dedovsk, where they were systematically subjected to violence. This became known after one of the guests was admitted to the intensive care unit — there were bruises on his body, and his kidneys practically failed. Earlier, psychologist Anna Khobotova claimed that this rehabilitation center belongs to her. At the same time, he has no legal relation to her. Where Khobotova is now, what is known about her, and how difficult teenagers were actually "treated" for addictions is in the Izvestia article.
How children were "treated" for gadgets
On November 26, the Istra City Court placed Milana, an 18-year-old assistant administrator of a rehab facility near Moscow, under house arrest. A day earlier, the measure of restraint in the form of detention in a pre-trial detention center was determined for the administrator of this institution, Vitaly Balabrikov. The criminal case was opened under several articles at once — for causing serious harm to health, torture and unlawful imprisonment. The involvement of psychologist-psychotherapist Anna Khobotova in the events is also being established — she positioned herself as the head of the center and talked on social networks about "methods of working" with teenagers.
Mutilations on the body of the injured teenager
The scandal broke out on November 25, when it became known that a 16—year-old unconscious teenager with failed kidneys had been admitted to the intensive care unit of a hospital near Moscow. Abrasions, bruises and burns were found on the boy's body, and the chronic disease was not treated in a timely manner. His mother Svetlana said that for two weeks he slept on a bare floor without a mattress or a blanket. Rope marks, festering wounds and cuts were found on the teenager's body. As investigators found out, he was being treated at the Anna Khobotova rehabilitation center in Dedovsk, Moscow region.
That's where the law enforcement officers went. Rehab is located in a rented private house on the outskirts of Dedovsk. 24 teenagers were held in it.
The department where the victim was taken
The center was closed, some of the children were transferred to their parents, and eight teenagers were transferred to specialized social institutions.
Children of well-off parents who paid about one hundred thousand rubles a month to have their child cured of alcohol, drug or gambling addiction were admitted to the center for rehabilitation.
"The three-storey house did not attract attention to itself, the windows were covered with black film from the inside to hide any activity and vital activity," the head of Istra, Tatyana Vitusheva, wrote on her Telegram channel.
The entrance to the house, which is a rehab
The children were never allowed outside during their stay, neighbors of the rehabilitation center told Izvestia. According to them, the new guests moved into the house in August 2025, and a few years ago there was also a rehab for adults.
After the visit of the security forces, the center suspended its work, the Izvestia correspondent was convinced. It is impossible to get inside — the front door is sealed. In the hallway, former residents left food and vegetables on the floor. There are bars on all windows.
The head of the district also added that the arrested administrator tried to hide the activities of rehab until the last moment and did not allow security forces to enter the territory. According to some reports, he had previously been tried twice under Article 228 of the Criminal Code for drug possession and distribution.
How children were bullied
Children who were treated in rehab talk about sophisticated punishments — they were starved, beaten for the slightest offense, forced to rewrite the same meaningless phrase around the clock: "As long as I am irresponsible about my responsibility, it deprives me of free time and hinders recovery."
They were also told that their parents were aware of the center's parenting methods and approved of them. And the parents themselves were sent photos of smiling teenagers who were forcibly forced to make a happy face in front of the camera.
— My son suffers from deviant behavior. He told me that he was tied up with duct tape and doused with ice water," the mother of the injured boy told Izvestia.
Her child was also restricted in food, completely ignoring that he had diabetes.
— We came to this center on a recommendation. Our good friends treated their daughter for drug addiction at the center's branch in Rostov. Because we have a very difficult child, we were refused in other centers, but they took us here," she explained.
The boy's mother attributed the restriction in communication with the child to the peculiarity of the rehabilitation program.
— We were told all the time that he was behaving badly, so we were deprived of meetings. And when talking on the phone, he was afraid to tell me everything," the woman said.
One of the pupils of rehab — Milan became the assistant to the administrator of the center, who is now accused of torturing children. The girl has been in the center since May last year, her parents paid about 800 thousand rubles to cure her daughter of gadget addiction. Her mother told Izvestia that the family found out about the institution on the Internet.
"We sent parents' reviews and media reports about Anna Khobotova, which aroused great confidence," the woman stressed.
According to her, after a year of treatment, Milana developed an interest in studying, she graduated from grades 10-11 with an external degree and enrolled in university by correspondence. Her family denies her involvement in the torture of other children.
— The information does not correspond to reality. She didn't hit anyone. The children's mothers can confirm. Milana, on the contrary, measured Roma's blood pressure, for a boy who had fallen into a coma. I didn't tie her up, I didn't beat her," the woman claims.
In addition, as an employee of the rehab told Izvestia, one of Khobotova's consultants had sexual relations with underage pupils. And when they decided to fire him, he left for Rostov-on-Don with a 16-year-old girl. Presumably, one of the victims submitted an application to the authorities. The man is currently under investigation.
The editorial interlocutor added that people who had overcome addictions themselves were accepted as consultants. But the girl couldn't hold on to such a job for long.
Who will be responsible for the torture of teenagers
The alleged head of rehab, Anna Khobotova, was born in Novocherkassk. She was the supervisor of the Prison Ministry Department in the Taganrog, Rostov and Shakhty dioceses. Together with the priests, she traveled to prisons and pre-trial detention centers, met as a public figure with the police leadership. She became a member of the Public Council of the Federal Penitentiary Service of Russia for the Rostov region. In 2015, she received a diploma from the SFU Academy of Psychology and Pedagogy.
In social networks, he calls himself a child psychologist and talks about the author's method of ridding children of addictions and getting rid of deviant behavior. The center's website emphasizes that adolescents are guaranteed gentle psychological help and safety. Anna Khobotova oversees other similar centers in Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Azov and Rostov-on-Don, where work has now been suspended.
Rehab in Yekaterinburg
In particular, on Wednesday, November 26, the police arrived at the Khobotova rehabilitation center in Yekaterinburg. Pupils and consultants of this rehab told Izvestia that the arrested Vitaly Balabrikov had worked at their center for some time. And even then he was distinguished by cruelty. According to eyewitnesses, he beat his charges with boxing gloves, as well as used psychological violence, torture, and special punishment "Sabotage", that is, when a child sits alone without food and water.
The founder of the rehabilitation centers herself is wanted. Her location is unknown.
Parents of children who were treated at the rehabilitation center actively left feedback. Some of them are positive, and some of them are about bullying children. In particular, we are talking about the Rostov branch of the Anna Khobotova Center.
"I read the reviews and took the child there for a month on alarm. Thank God I was able to pick up my daughter," one user wrote in September 2025. — Moms don't know what's going on there. There is no help there, we paid 90 thousand rubles for a children's prison."
According to the woman, the children in this center are being morally humiliated.
In May 2025, another woman wrote about the conditions in this center.
"There are no psychologists there and never have been, former addicts will be with your children. They are fed with promises, but nothing changes at all. Khobotova only looks beautiful on TV in her Rostov, but she broadcasts on the radio how wonderful she is, like a psychologist. But in fact, she doesn't give a damn about your child or you either. It's only your money that matters to her and that you pay on time," the user said.
Anna Khobotova's assistants deny the charges.
— It's not like that at all. But since the rights of minors are affected, employees are not allowed to disclose information on the basis of the law on personal data protection," Elena Davydova, addiction consultant at the Anna Khobotova Center, told Izvestia.
At the same time, legally Khobotov has nothing to do with rehabs. Currently, she is listed as the head of only one organization: the Galaktika Foundation, a socially useful foundation for helping people in difficult situations.
In 2022-2024, small revenues were recorded there: revenue — 4.8 million rubles and net profit — 740 thousand.
Khobotova herself registered and closed the sole proprietor three times. In the past, she was the founder of eight companies, all of which were engaged in hospital or social activities. All of these firms were liquidated from 2020 to 2025.
Some of the rehabs are managed through another legal entity, the Krasnogorsk company Bright Future LLC, established in September 2025. Formally, Khobotova is connected with her only through her email address, indicated as the contact of the organization, and Elena Karakhasanova, who lives in Rostov, is listed as the owner.
What kind of psychological trauma did rehab inflict?
Children who have been abused experience severe emotional shock, Natalia Novoselova, a practicing psychologist, sand and art therapist, and specialist at the Association of Sand Therapy, told Izvestia.
"Child abuse, including beatings, torture, and starvation, harms both physical and mental health, as well as has long—term social consequences," she explained.
According to the expert, prolonged starvation and malnutrition can cause stunted growth, depletion of the body, and also carries the risk of chronic diseases in the future.
"Fear, anxiety, feelings of danger and humiliation due to abuse carry the risk of developing anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and can also cause depression and post—traumatic stress disorder," the psychologist emphasized.
She added that children and adolescents who are mistreated often develop low self-esteem, trust problems, emotional instability and even aggression, as well as depression and isolation. In the future, such children may have difficulty communicating with their peers and adults.
The expert advises parents whose children have gone through traumatic experiences to surround their child with love and understanding.
— It is important for him now to feel that his parents are near. Parents should speak calmly, not accuse, and express a desire to protect their child," she stressed.
Natalia Novoselova emphasized the importance of trust.
— Do not force the child to tell the details right away if he is not ready. Don't interrupt when he starts talking," the specialist explained. — It's important to be there and listen. If the child wants to cry, scream, or be silent, let him do it. It is important to give vent to emotions!
In addition, adults should avoid talking, discussing the topic with relatives or other important figures in the presence of the child, so as not to undermine trust.
Parents are also human beings and experience a range of emotions, including shock, fear, anger, rage, impotence, and guilt over what happened. It is important to acknowledge your emotions, act together and support each other, the specialist emphasized.
The defendants could face up to 18 years in prison, lawyer Yevgeny Stegantsev told Izvestia. According to him, the qualification of imputed crimes is likely to change during the investigation.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
