A mother in western Kazakhstan has been stripped of her parental rights after her 10-year-old son was forced to search for food and clothing at a landfill.

The woman reportedly abused alcohol and led an antisocial lifestyle, leaving the boy to fend for himself, according to Sputnik Kazakhstan.

The child did not attend school and could neither read nor write. On the initiative of the juvenile affairs commission, he was first placed in a child support center and later moved to a family-type children's village.

The boy said he likes living there because he always has a clean bed and good food.

A court ruled to strip the woman of her parental rights and ordered her to pay child support.