Eleven-year-old grandson of Rear-Admiral in Putin's navy still hasn't been told that his mother is dead after she was killed when she hit her head while hanging topless out of a car

Son, 11, of woman killed while hanging out of car still does not know of her death
Natalia Borodina, 35, was filmed writhing topless out of a window during holiday
Ex-husband Alexandr Palagushkin is now battling for custody of their son Ermak
He and father Boris Palagushkin are fighting to keep the boy out of an orphanage

By Iain Burns and Will Stewart and Charlie Moore For Mailonline

Published: 18:08 GMT, 14 October 2017 | Updated: 11:29 GMT, 15 October 2017

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The 11-year-old son of a woman who died after being hit by a road sign while hanging out of a car window still does not know his mother is dead.

Glamorous Natalia Borodina, 35, died after flaunting her almost naked body out of the passenger window of a car during a holiday in the Dominican Republic.

The excruciating footage went viral, showing her writhing in the car and thrusting her upper body out of the vehicle.

But back in Russia, her ex-husband Alexandr Palagushkin, 37, an academic who had studied in London, is battling to be given custody of their son Ermak, 11, who - contrary to earlier reports - was not on vacation with his mother when she was killed.

The boy has not been told of his mother's death.

Palagushkin, 37 said he and his father Boris Palagushkin, 58 - a rear admiral in Putin's naval reserve - were now fighting to keep their child out of a grim Russia orphanage.

'The childcare people have already called,' Palagushkin told Ren TV.

'It's helpful that my father is a rear admiral.

Natalia's son is pictured here with his grandfather Boris, 58, at the academy where he works

'They have already said: "Do you know the mother is dead? Why is the child not with the father?"

'So, if I don't take him now, they will get him.

'And even with my father's connections, it will take me time to get him out of some orphanage.'

Palagushkin said he had met with his ex-wife, who reportedly worked as an estate agent in Cannes, France, in Europe.

Other stories claim she assisted with visa access for Russians.

Natalia's father-in-law, who serves in Vladimir Putin's navy, pictured wearing his admiral uniform

'I have no idea what she was doing,' said her ex-husband, an academic who works in Siberia.

'I live in Novosibirsk, I am a senior tutor. And my father is deputy dean of Novosibirsk State University of Water Transport.

'He is a rear-admiral.

'She told me she provided visa support for Russian tourists in Cannes.'

When the mother was killed, his son Ermak was in the care of Yulia Artemova, 42, Natalia's sister, in the Russian city of Voronezh.

Palagushkin was rushing there to be reunited with his child.

Police have now identified the road sign that killed Ms Borodina and detained her 32-year-old companion Ivanna Boirachuk, from Ukraine.

Natalia Borodina (pictured on a skiing holiday), 35, was filmed hanging topless out of a window during a holiday in the Dominican Republic

Ms Borodina (left) was killed when she smashed her head into a road sign (right)

The is the Kia car that Ms Borodina's friend was driving when she was killed

Police have now identified the road sign that killed Ms Borodina (pictured) and detained her 32-year-old companion

Tyre marks evidently show the dented red Kia Picanto car butted the yellow kerb at the moment of the tragic accident.

Ms Boirachuk used her mobile to film her friend letting her upper body hang out of the passenger side car window as they drove back from the beach near Punta Cana.

Ms Borodina playfully stuck her finger in her mouth and laughed at the camera, but within seconds, the video shows the impact.

She was rushed to hospital but died of severe injuries.

'The woman was having fun demonstrating her naked breasts while her companion drove the car,' reported Moskovsky Komsomolets.

Ms Boirachuk used her mobile to film her friend (pictured) letting her upper body hang out of the passenger side car window as they drove back from the beach near Punta Cana

Tyre marks evidently show the dented red Kia Picanto car butted the yellow kerb at the moment of the tragic accident which killed Ms Borodina (pictured)

Natalia's friend Elena Korolyova said her friend (pictured) did not deserve to be judged by her reckless behaviour that led to her death

Natalia Borodina, from Moscow, is filmed by her friend as she leans out of the window of a moving car in the Dominican Republic

The 35-year-old can be seen with her upper body hanging out of the passenger side

Grieving friends of Ms Borodina - who lived in Cannes - called her a 'caring daughter and good mother' to her 11-year-old son.

Now the bereft family say they cannot afford the cost -- reported to be £15,000 -- of repatriating her body for burial in Russia, and admit Ms Borodina did not have insurance when she flew on holiday to the Dominican republic.

Natalia's friend Elena Korolyova said the dead woman did everything she could for her family.

'She helped her poor family with everything,' she said. 'Nobody else worked, only Natalia.

'She wanted to get everything, she was hoping for a better future.'

Family friend Anzhelika Kling said: 'Natalia has a sister Yulia who lives in Chelyabinsk region, as does her 80 years old mother.

'Yulia is raising her own son and she also took care of Natalia's 11-year-old son when she was away.

Ms Borodina is pictured next to a wagon with the label Harrods in a shopping mall

Family friend Anzhelika Kling said: 'Natalia (pictured) has a sister Yulia who lives in Chelyabinsk region, as does her 80 years old mother

Impact: She lets her upper body and arms hang free as the car drives down the highway, and is seen hitting a lamppost

Shocking: Ms Borodina was rushed to hospital and died there of 'serious injuries'

'They don't have the money needed to pay for the transportation of the body.'

She said: 'We got to know about the tragedy from Internet. Then the investigator called the family and confirmed it.

'We don't know what to do with the body now. There is no money for transportation. She may have to be cremated there.'

Anastasiya Akulenko, another of Natalia's friends, said: 'She and I were married to two brothers.

'She parted with her husband, he has a new family now and doesn't see his son. Natalia was very upset because of her divorce.

'She was a caring daughter and a good mother, and she supported her family.

Tragedy: Ms Borodina, seen in a photo posted on her social media page, died in hospital

Ms Borodina is originally from Zlatoust, an industrial city in the Urals, but then moved to regional capital Chelyabinsk, before relocating to Moscow

The 35-year-old had reportedly been working as an estate agent in Cannes, France

'Recently she lived in Cannes and was sorting out visas as a business.'

She also sold properties to rich Russians, it was reported.

'She could work from any spot, she just needed a laptop, this is why Natalia used to travel a lot.

'Her son lived with her for a while but later asked to send him back to Zlatoust because he missed his granny.

'Natalia never forgot about her family and often came to see them.'

Russian consular officer Zurab Peradze said: 'I have been in touch with the local prosecutors' office to gather information about the accident.

'The investigation is going on now.'

Glamour: Ms Borodina's social media account paints a picture of a fun-loving woman

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