The trial over the death of 3-year-old Angelos continued at the Mixed Jury Court of Heraklion, with forensic and medical experts presenting testimony on the injuries found on the child.
The hearing focused on the statements of forensic medicine professor Eleni Kranioti and pediatric radiology professor Maria Raisaki, who were called as expert witnesses after a request from the defense lawyer of one of the defendants was accepted by the court.
Experts describe severe injuries
Professor Maria Raisaki, from the University of Crete’s Medical School, testified that a team specializing in child abuse imaging examined three brain scans of the child.
She said the most serious findings came from the first scan, carried out on January 26, 2025, after the child was intubated. According to her testimony, the imaging results indicated a severe injury caused by strong force, likely involving different mechanisms, including impact and possible shaking.
Raisaki said the findings were consistent with abuse, also pointing to a fracture in the child’s hand that appeared to have occurred earlier.
She added that shaking injuries can be life-threatening and may cause breathing difficulties, describing this as a warning sign in cases of suspected child abuse.
Forensic examiner reports 32 injuries
During her testimony, forensic medicine professor Eleni Kranioti said the child’s injuries were caused by impact from a blunt object.
According to her statement, Angelos had a total of 32 injuries to his head and body, which she said were consistent with systematic child abuse and neglect.
Kranioti testified that the injuries appeared to have occurred during five or six different periods, with the oldest dating back around two months before the child was admitted to hospital.
She said the head injuries likely occurred minutes to several hours before the child was taken to hospital and could have been caused by a non-sharp object.
The forensic expert also referred to other injuries, including marks under the nails and burns, saying they were consistent with abuse rather than accidental harm. She said some burns appeared to have occurred at different times and did not resemble injuries from an accident.
She also mentioned injuries in the genital area, which she estimated may have been caused by contact with a cigarette, as well as an infected burn on the child’s leg.
Defendants face murder charge
The case involves the child’s 27-year-old mother and her then 44-year-old partner, who are facing charges of intentional homicide.
The two defendants reportedly do not communicate with each other and have blamed one another over the alleged abuse of the child.
During the hearing, the 44-year-old defendant’s lawyer informed the court that his client was experiencing health problems and feeling unwell. The defendant later left the courtroom and returned to prison until he could be transferred to hospital.
The court proceedings are continuing as experts’ testimonies and evidence are examined.
