A 48-year-old lawyer in the northern city of Thessaloniki has been accused of baby trafficking in a case involving a newborn. According to reports, a 20-year-old foreign national, the child’s biological mother, is also facing misdemeanor charges in the same case. Both suspects were first charged and then released on bail.

Reports state that the pair two met in March while the woman was pregnant and entered into a civil partnership. When the baby was born on April 14 at a local clinic, it was registered as their biological child. The civil partnership, however, was dissolved the following day.

Suspicion arose when, after being discharged from the clinic on April 17, the two left separately in different vehicles. The lawyer departed with the newborn and later picked up a nanny he had reportedly hired to care for the newborn.

The lawyer was questioned on felony human trafficking charges, along with additional misdemeanor accusations related to false declarations. He has denied wrongdoing, claiming they intended to marry and only left separately due to “emotional distress”, planning to reunite later.

The 20-year-old woman gave a similar account and had earlier testified as a potential trafficking victim, with a psychologist present.

Authorities’ suspicions point to an “arrangement” used to transfer custody of the newborn under false pretenses.