Serious questions have emerged over safety procedures at a psychiatric hospital in Athens after a 59-year-old patient was allegedly killed by his 48-year-old roommate during the early hours of Wednesday.
The incident occurred at around 3:30 a.m. inside the room shared by the two men, located directly opposite the nurses’ station. The suspect later reportedly confessed to the killing, telling authorities that a heated argument between the pair had escalated and caused him to lose control.
According to reports, the two patients had been sharing the same room since last Friday. The 48-year-old had allegedly been considered a danger both to himself and to others.
Hospital Procedures Under Scrutiny
The case has raised concerns about whether adequate precautions were taken before the fatal attack. Reports indicate that nursing staff had received instructions one day earlier to place the suspect under restraint in order to prevent a potential incident.
It remains unclear whether the patient was restrained on the night of the killing or whether he managed to free himself before the attack.
Family Says It Was Not Officially Informed
The victim’s brother has accused hospital authorities of failing to properly notify the family about the death.
According to his account, relatives initially received only a brief message informing them that the 59-year-old had “passed away.” The family says it later learned details of the case through media reports and was not immediately provided with an explanation about the circumstances surrounding the death.
Medical Efforts and Investigation
The president of Greece’s federation of public hospital employees stated that doctors spent more than an hour attempting to resuscitate the victim using CPR.
Hospital staff initially believed the patient had suffered a heart attack after he was found without a pulse. However, following police involvement, the roommate allegedly admitted that he had strangled the man.
The 48-year-old remains in police custody while a forensic examination is expected to determine the exact cause of death.
Authorities are also reviewing the psychiatric histories of both the suspect and the victim. At the same time, the hospital administration has launched an internal investigation into the incident.
Meanwhile, hospital employees have renewed complaints about chronic understaffing and working conditions they describe as falling below acceptable safety standards.
