Μake us preferred on Google A forensic examination has found hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in the 15-year-old who suddenly collapsed and died Sunday night in Karitsa, in the Municipality of Agia, Larissa, according to local reports.
It is the first significant finding that could shed light on the circumstances of the death, as the teenager had no known history of health problems. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a condition in which the heart muscle becomes thickened and, in some cases, can be associated with serious arrhythmias or sudden cardiac events.
The investigation, however, is not over. Laboratory tests are still pending and will be assessed together with the forensic findings to establish a clearer picture of the exact cause of death. The final forensic assessment will only be issued once those tests have been completed.
What medical sources had reported
Medical sources had earlier told onlarissa.gr that the 15-year-old was a well-developed child with no known medical history. His relatives found him lying face down, with foam coming from his mouth. When EMTs arrived, his heart rhythm was not shockable, and resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful.
The incident caused considerable alarm in the area from the outset.
Claims of a delay by Greece’s Emergency Service
According to information, the boy’s parents had been away from home for about an hour. At around 9 p.m., when they returned, they found their son lying on the bathroom floor. Speaking exclusively to MEGA, they said they called for an ambulance immediately at 9:05 p.m., but it arrived, they claimed, at around 10:30 p.m. The teenager was then taken to hospital, where his death was confirmed.
“When we found him, he was warm. They could have saved him,” his father said.
The parents said the nearest health center is in Gonnoi, from where, they claimed, an ambulance has never come, and that the vehicle was sent from Larissa. The mother said that “everything is barely functioning” in the area. The father estimated that the journey could have been completed in 40 minutes and said there may not have been an available ambulance.
The parents also said that the 15-year-old was an athlete, that they had taken him to a cardiologist and that he had an appointment to have an electrocardiogram (ECG) on Monday.
What the ambulance says
Giannis Goulas, president of the National Center for Emergency Assistance (EKAB) workers’ union, told MEGA that a call concerning a 15-year-old who was unconscious was received at 9:05 p.m. and was immediately relayed to the mobile unit of the University General Hospital of Larissa. The vehicle immediately set off for Karitsa and, according to the official record on the EKAB incident card, arrived at 9:52 p.m.
Goulas explained that the Larissa unit would have been responsible for the incident in any case, as the distances do not differ significantly. He added that Karitsa is a mountainous village and the road is more difficult to navigate.
