Thaindian News

December 20, 2010 (Pen Men at Work): Yefim Tsirinsky, a 52 year old man killed his 86 year old mother with a pillow in his 9th floor New York apartment this past Friday. He called up the cops and confessed to smothering his mother with pillow when he felt that she was dead.

However, when the authorities reached his home at 2819 West 12th Street in Coney Island, they found Mrs Frida Tsirinsky unconscious but still alive. She was instantly admitted to Coney Island Hospital but lost her battle on Saturday.

Her son has been charged with second degree murder and first and second degree strangulation but the son maintains that it was a case of mercy killing. He stated that his mom, who was wheel-chair bound, pleaded him to kill her citing that she did not want to live anymore. Reportedly, no scene of a struggle was noticed.

Yefim is unemployed and lived with his ailing mom. There is no previous criminal record against him. However, his neighbour Donald Solomon, 71, seems shocked at this incident and cites that Yefim had always appeared to him as a devoted son. He often took his mother to the terrace so that she could get some fresh air.

The case commenced on Friday morning at the wee hours of 8 am when Yefim called up the cops and asserted how he had just killed his mother. However, it is not clear if he dialled the cops immediately after strangulating his mom or waited for some time. The question that still lies unanswered is- did he kill her deliberately or did he pity her ailment and accorded her a mercy killing.