Kypseli: Defence counsel seeks psychiatric examination of parents – allegations dating from 2020
The lawyer representing the couple denies murder charges and requests psychiatric examination. The family's case file had already been opened in 2020.
Defence counsel for Kypseli couple: "There is a difference between being a bad parent and being a child killer"
According to In.gr, the defence counsel for the couple accused in connection with the death of an infant in Kypseli is seeking psychiatric and psychological examination of his clients, arguing that there are health problems that may have affected their behaviour.
Lawyer Christos Psarras, speaking to Ertnews, insisted that the 43-year-old father and 38-year-old mother categorically deny that they killed the infant, claiming that the child died from natural causes. "There is a difference between being a bad father or bad mother and something else entirely – being a child killer," he stated characteristically.
According to the defence, the parents acknowledge that they failed adequately in their parental duties, but deny the charge of murder. They claimed that they attempted to revive the infant, to no avail, and subsequently did not part with its body.
Withdrawal syndrome and psychological distress
The two accused have admitted to struggling with substance dependency problems. The symptoms they displayed suggest withdrawal syndrome, while it is also being examined whether the infant may have developed neonatal withdrawal syndrome due to exposure to substances during pregnancy.
The 43-year-old described his partner's condition to the authorities following the birth of the child. "From the time the baby was born, for eight months, my wife was not well psychologically. She would speak incoherently. She would plunge her head into the plate of food. She would talk to our children when they were not present. She was very stressed because the baby cried constantly. We were all stressed," he is reported to have stated.
The authorities continue to gather evidence, with a focus on the statements of the family's three other children, in order to establish the timeline of events.
Challenge to the expert report and DNA data leak
Psarras also addressed the expert report contained in the case file, noting that its findings lead to a specific conclusion, which the parents dispute. For this reason, the defence wishes for the appointment of a technical adviser who will comment on the findings.
He also raised the matter of a leak of DNA examination results from a public hospital. "There should be accountability regarding this," he stated, arguing that beyond the parents' responsibilities, the responsiveness of state services to the complaints that preceded the incident must also be examined. The family's other children are, according to the counsel, "in a safe place under state protection."
The file opened in 2020 – Questions about state services
Serious questions about the responsiveness of the responsible authorities have been raised by evidence that has come to light regarding the family's history. According to allegations made by Kostas Giannopolos, president of the "Smile of the Child" organisation, speaking to ERTnews, the first complaint was filed in April 2020 and concerned neglect of hygiene, substance use by the parents, financial exploitation of the daughter, and inadequate supervision of the children.
"In 2020, for the first time, a file was opened with this complaint," Giannopolos stated. Along with the report, a newspaper article from that time concerning the father had been forwarded, with the complainant arguing that the authorities had been informed of an environment in which the children appeared to be at risk.
Following notification of the prosecutor, the prescribed procedure followed with instructions issued to the welfare services of the municipalities. However, Giannopolos emphasised that the central problem is the understaffing of services and the lack of adequate child protection structures. "No one is to blame because the prosecutor is alone without services," he stated, raising the question of the adequacy of the state mechanism.
Lawyer Psarras also confirmed that in the past a court decision had been issued criticising the parents for the manner in which they exercised their duties. A review was scheduled for one year later, however, according to him, the new incidents occurred before there was time to establish whether there had been compliance. Particular mention was also made of the case in which the children are reported to have been removed from the father and transferred to Paidon, whilst there were reports of problems in the family environment.
Source: In.gr