The 32-year-old Algerian mother of the young girl found dead in the southern Athens suburb of Palaio Faliro has been remanded in custody following a joint decision by a Greek prosecutor and the investigating judge.
The mother is accused of causing the death of her young daughter, whom she abandoned on the beach in Edem, Palaio Faliro.
Mother Denies the Charges
After a lengthy testimony, the mother reportedly denied all charges, claiming the child had already died from an accident at home before she left her in the sea.
According to ERT, the mother emerged from the judge’s office in tears after facing a barrage of questions about how and why her three-year-old daughter died. Despite her claims, she failed to convince authorities.
Her lawyers dispute the coroner’s finding that the cause of death was drowning and are awaiting histological and forensic test results to determine whether the injuries were pre- or post-mortem.
What the 32-Year-Old Claimed
“We were in the shower together for Jenna’s bath. She asked for water, and when I went to the kitchen to get it, I heard a loud thud, like she had fallen. I rushed back and saw her on the floor, convulsing. I picked her up and tried to revive her. She came to a few minutes later,” the mother reportedly told investigators, according to ERT.
“We went back to the bathroom, and she fell a second time. She lost consciousness, and no matter what I did, she wouldn’t wake up. I thought Jenna was dead. I panicked, I was scared. In that moment, I thought of taking her to the sea. It was a mistake, and I regret it deeply, but she was already dead,” she said.
In her testimony, she also described what happened next, once she reached the kiosk, footage of which has been captured by a security camera.
“I arrived in Faliro by tram. I bought something at the kiosk, and then we went to the beach. The children played at the playground, and later, as we returned to the beach, I entered the sea and left Jenna there. I couldn’t bear to go back and look at my child,” she stated.
Authorities Await Lab Results
Meanwhile, authorities are awaiting the results of laboratory tests on the 32-year-old’s confiscated clothing and personal belongings, as well as the analysis of her mobile phone.
What Police Are Investigating in Her Personal Belongings
A key development in the investigation was the discovery of a plastic bag in bushes near her home. It contained the dress she wore on the night of the incident, clothing from her other two children, and a tram ticket. Items that raised concerns included a hairbrush and a blister pack of pills.
The handle of the brush — as shown in the image below — was broken, and it has been sent to the Criminal Investigation Department to determine whether the 32-year-old struck the child with it.
Regarding the blister pack, the pills were for anxiety disorder. According to MEGA, this aligns with other findings at her home, including documents confirming that she regularly saw a psychologist, sometimes accompanied by one of her children.
Child Was Born in a Greek Hospital
In 2020, while pregnant with her first child, the 32-year-old entered Greece from Turkey with her husband. They initially stayed in a reception facility before gradually renting homes in different areas of Attica.
In the most recent home, the woman was living alone with the children, as her husband had been deported in 2023.
Sources close to the 32-year-old told MEGA that all three of her children were born in public hospitals in Greece.
The Child’s Fall in the Bathtub
According to police and coast guard investigations, the child is confirmed to have broken her two front teeth during the fall in the bathtub — an incident the mother mentioned to authorities. This detail is also confirmed in the coroner’s report.
This dental injury is believed to be the cause of bleeding, as two bloodstains were found in the woman’s apartment — one on a coin in the kitchen and another in a closet near the bathroom.
