Don't Cry, They Might Wake Up: Mother and Relatives Bid Farewell to Children Killed in Yerevan

The murder of two young children by their father has shocked Armenia and once again tested humanity for the public. Today, family members and close ones laid to rest the two innocent children. Their mother must live with this sorrow, while we need to draw conclusions, writes armeniasputnik.am.

The hearse is near the mourning hall. Men in blue suits and black masks carry out two small white coffins. People standing at the entrance are frozen in shock.

There are already several wreaths in the yard of the hall. New ones are being brought, snowy white. "Rest in peace, angels," reads the ribbon on one of them.

On both sides of the entrance are the coffins' lids. My heart is heavy, but my legs move me forward. Eight-year-old Leon and five-year-old Manan seem to be asleep. Both of their faces are calm. In both of their hands are their favorite toys: Leo's teddy bear (which his father threw out of the window with him) and Manan's puppy.

The uncle of little Leon, broken with grief, stands by the coffin. No one else is there yet; the moment of farewell has not yet come. The man's weeping echoes in the steel silence around me.

Emergency workers enter. The pandemic, of course, has not been cancelled. They are in special suits. Against the black background, their yellow uniforms become a bright stain. They are here to aid the relatives, and a few minutes later, the children’s maternal grandmother will need their help.

“Shh. Don't cry, they might wake up,” I hear from behind me. Turning around, I realize it is the mother of the murdered children, Simon.

The young woman, who just three days ago was embracing her children and playing with them, is now being supported on both sides. Her beautiful face is stone-cold. There are no tears. She thanks everyone for coming and asks not to make noise or cry too loud. The children might be scared; they are still so small.

Hearing this, even the men start to sob. She repeats, “Shhh, please, don't cry. My angels are now in God's hands. You must know it is an honor for me to be their mother. I am now the mama of angels.”

Simon says something else, and it feels like the air in the room is running out. You glance at the children; they seem to be really sleeping. It's a strange feeling; it seems as if the blanket covering them quivers with breath.