Greek authorities are investigating a severe child abuse case involving eight siblings after both parents were arrested and convicted, and the children’s grandfather was also taken into custody following new allegations.

The case emerged in December in the city of Heraklion, on the island of Crete, where investigators uncovered what police described as a long-standing pattern of violence against the children, aged between 2 and 15.

The children are now being temporarily housed in a specially designated area of a public hospital in Heraklion. Hospital officials have arranged a protected space within the pediatric ward, where the children are being supported by medical, nursing, and administrative staff.

The children’s parents, a 32-year-old mother and a 44-year-old father, were arrested and later convicted by a local court in early December 2025. Authorities said the family lived in an environment marked by repeated beatings, threats, shouting, and drug use by the parents.

The father was sentenced to a total of two years and six months in prison, while the mother received a sentence of seven years and three months.

Child protection organization “The Smile of the Child” had reportedly filed six prior alerts with authorities between 2022 and the parents’ arrest, warning of abuse and urging intervention. The complaint that led to the couple’s arrest was the seventh.

After the parents were jailed, the children’s 66-year-old grandfather traveled from Cyprus to Crete and was granted temporary custody. However, the case took a new turn days later when the eldest child, a 15-year-old girl, told authorities she wanted to live with her other grandmother.

According to police, the grandfather contacted authorities to report the situation. During the follow-up investigation, the teenager alleged that he had physically assaulted her 3-year-old sibling and had previously struck other children as well.

Police arrested the grandfather and brought him before a prosecutor, who ordered him to stand trial under expedited procedures. The man denies all allegations, saying he never beat the children and only raised his voice to maintain order.

Following his arrest, authorities transferred all eight children to the hospital facility to ensure their safety while legal proceedings continue.