‘He Was Out of His Mind’: College Student Accused of Fatally Beating His Mother During Weekend Visit

A Massachusetts man has been arrested after he allegedly beat his own mother to death inside his home while she was there visiting for the weekend, according to authorities.

In the early morning hours of July 17, officers responded to a home in Lowell and found 51-year-old Elena Vainer deceased, according to the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office.

Vainer’s son, 23-year-old Michael Belous, was the one who called 911 to report his mother had been severely beaten, according to WCVB-TV.

"He reported that his mother was in distress and barely breathing, and that she looked like she had been in a fight," Middlesex Assistant District Attorney Yashmeen Desai said.

She added, "First responders found the victim to be cold to the touch with pooling of blood to her back, obvious signs of injury to her face, her left hand and neck."

Belous, a student at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, reportedly told authorities that his mother was breathing moments earlier, but that was inconsistent with her apparent condition.

Desai said it looked appeared there was a “physical struggle that resulted in her death,” according to WCVB-TV.

Belous also reportedly had injuries on his hands, according to officials.

According to a neighbor, Belous was acting out of sorts when police arrived. Witnesses claimed “he was out of his mind” and “just screaming and acting strange,” WFXT reported.

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According to authorities, Vainer was visiting Belous at his condo over the weekend. During the visit, officials said a “physical altercation occurred that allegedly resulted in the victim being severely beaten and suffering multiple injuries to her head and neck.”

Belous was arrested and charged with assault and battery on a household or family member and assault and battery causing serious bodily injury, authorities said.

He was being held without bail.

The victim’s cause and manner of death will be determined by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and additional charges against Belous are possible.