Child model's body flown back to Russia for autopsy after shock death of catwalk star

The young model's body has been flown from Shanghai to Moscow where an autopsy will be held to determine the cause of death. 

Vlada, from Perm, died in China after complaining to her mother by phone of acute tiredness. 

Amid fears she was on low earnings despite long hours of work, and with no medical insurance, the case has raised fears about 'exploitation' of underage Russian models working in Asia. 

Three modelling agencies linked to the girl - two in Russia and one in China - have all denied being responsible for her death.

Chinese modelling agency ESEE has described her death as not 'avoidable' due to the seriousness of her condition

Vlada's mother Oksana has not explained why the girl was allowed to work in China without medical insurance amid fears that this delayed her getting potentially life-saving medical treatment. 

The cause of her death has been variously described meningitis or blood poisoning, with Vlada complaining of chronic tiredness before being taken to hospital around 36 hours before her death. 

Chinese modelling agency ESEE has described her death as not 'avoidable' due to the seriousness of her condition.

It is understood the Investigative Committee (IC) - which has launched a criminal probe into her 'death by negligence' - paid the main costs of bringing her body back to Russia. 

Modelling agency owner Dmitry Smirnov, who negotiated her contract with the Chinese, Vlada's mother and grandmother with Vlada. Pictures: Dmitry Smirnov, Oksana Dzyuba 

An autopsy will be held in Moscow, before her remains are released for her funeral in Perm.

Russia's consul-general in Shanghai Andrey Kulikov said: 'The body of a Russian citizen, accompanied by an employee of the Investigative Committee, was repatriated by an Aeroflot commercial flight.'

The IC said: 'An employee of the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation will soon deliver the body of a 14-year-old schoolgirl who died in the city of Shanghai, China, on 27 October 2017. A forensic medical examination has been scheduled and will begin in the near future, the results of which will establish the cause of the child's death.

'Investigators continue to carry out a set of investigative actions aimed at establishing all the circumstances of the incident. 

'The investigation of the criminal case continues.'

It is understood the Investigative Committee (IC) - which has launched a criminal probe into Vlada's 'death by negligence' - paid the main costs of bringing her body back to Russia

Vlada's contract made clear that she - an underage child - was responsible for obtaining medical insurance. 

Modelling agency owner Dmitry Smirnov, who negotiated her contract with the Chinese, is a well known as a recruiter of teenage girls for catwalk stardom.

He has not explained the lack of health insurance, and said his responsibilities ended once she was sent abroad and 'controlled' by the Shanghai agency.

The head of Vlada's agency in Perm, Elvira Zaitseva, denied direct involvement in this trip. 

'Oksana told me that they collected all the documents for the trip, but I did not check them, of course,' she said. 'Dmitry [Smirnov] was their personal scout, he is a very experienced agent.'

Our earlier investigation into Vlada's death is here.