Amaliada – Infants: “In 2015, the 24-year-old was ‘crying out in desperation’ about living conditions,” says Giannopoulos

Kostas Giannopoulos from “The Smile of the Child” spoke about his communication with the 24-year-old woman from Amaliada, who was present during the deaths of four infants—two of whom were her own, while the other two belonged to her friends.

“We won’t focus on the deaths. The unraveling of her life began when the mother, still a teenager, cried out for help during her disappearance. She was calling for help while living under terrible conditions. Later, complaints started to surface. At that time, the now 24-year-old was struggling to survive in an unsuitable and dangerous environment. Proper procedures were not followed, and the necessary actions were not taken. Eventually, we sent an urgent letter to the prosecutor to initiate processes for the protection of the children,” said Giannopoulos in an interview on Action 24.

“In 2015, she went missing, and in 2020, a family member confided in us about the horrific living conditions. Procedures were then initiated by the local police under the prosecutor’s orders. The services—the prosecutor’s office and welfare—contacted us to ask what had happened. In 2023, the mother called us again, seeking medical and financial assistance. Before we could help, we were informed that the second infant had passed away. We don’t have any clear evidence about the cause of death.”

Giannopoulos continued, “Before 2023, there were serious reports. We gave the prosecutor and welfare services all the information we had. They were informed before the children died, before 2023. Welfare services are understaffed and can’t even handle the bureaucratic work. The first thing that should have been done was a psychiatric evaluation of the teenage mother to determine if there were any issues that needed to be addressed. We are only called after the damage is done, and by then, it’s too late. All we can do is report the situation to the prosecutor.”

Mystery Surrounding Four Dead Infants in Amaliada: What The Smile of the Child Says About the Woman Linked to the Deaths

The case of the four infant deaths in Amaliada has taken on a thriller-like dimension following the reports about a 24-year-old woman who was present during all four tragic incidents—two of the infants were hers, while the other two belonged to her friends.

The 24-year-old’s first child, a 19-day-old baby girl, died on June 19, 2022. Her second child, a two-month-old girl, died on October 17, 2023. On August 5, 2024, the 15-month-old son of her best friend, with whom she was living, died. The fourth case involves another friend’s child, who passed away in 2021.

Additionally, 10 years ago, the 24-year-old’s younger sister also died suddenly as an infant, with the details of her death remaining unclear.

Following an urgent preliminary investigation ordered by the Head of the Patras Court of Appeals, Nikolaos Nikolaou, The Smile of the Child released a statement regarding the information they had received about the now 24-year-old woman.

According to The Smile of the Child, “The 24-year-old had been in a vulnerable family environment since childhood, and she had received support in her role as a new mother.”

The organization’s statement included the following points:

• From 2017 to 2020, they had received anonymous reports on the National SOS Hotline 1056 about the living conditions of the mother’s family, highlighting her vulnerable situation.
• As with all similar cases, they immediately informed the relevant police and prosecutorial authorities to initiate procedures for the children’s protection. One of the reports was marked as “urgent.”
• In August 2015, they received a call on the European Hotline for Missing Children 116000 from the local police department about the disappearance of the then-teenage mother. However, before they could publicize her disappearance, the teenager returned home.
• In December 2020, a family member visited The Smile of the Child’s premises and confided in them. This led to actions by the local police under the prosecutor’s orders.
• In 2023, the mother contacted The Smile of the Child’s Health Department to seek advice on procedural matters regarding her infant, who was hospitalized in Athens. A few days later, they were informed that the infant had died. Around the same time, local Social Services working on the case also contacted the organization, raising concerns about the fact that the first infant from her previous pregnancy had died in a similar manner a year earlier, which was alarming for the authorities. Since then, the police and prosecutor’s office have been investigating the causes of the two infant deaths.

The Last Report About the 24-Year-Old Woman

Katerina, the mother of the fourth infant, spoke to MEGA and claimed that her six-month-old daughter died on February 4, 2021, in the care of the 24-year-old woman. “As a mother, I lost my child in Irene’s hands, and I will seek justice,” she said.

According to her, the young woman has been a witness to four infant deaths in three years. “How is that possible? Are all four coincidences? As a mother, I want to ask why,” she wondered.

Katerina recounted what happened on February 4, 2021, when she went out and left her six-month-old daughter in the care of the 24-year-old.

“Irene and I were friends, and I asked her to watch my daughter because I went out with my partner,” she said. According to her, before leaving, she changed and fed her baby and gave her medication for a health issue.

“Someone, whom I don’t want to name, called me and informed me that my child had ‘passed away,’ and that Irene had told them. My partner called Irene right away and asked her what had happened with the child. She replied, ‘Nothing, darling, the child is fine.’ But the child was already dead,” Katerina claimed.

Cause of Death for the Six-Month-Old Girl

According to MEGA, doctors at the Karamandaneio Hospital told the mother that the baby arrived at the hospital already dead, which contradicted what the 24-year-old allegedly told them.

“She said the baby made a noise and that she immediately called an ambulance, but the baby was already dead. She said the baby couldn’t breathe… It was the same thing with the other three children who died—their own children and this one in Amaliada,” Katerina said.

“The first forensic report said the cause of death was undetermined. Later, Irene lost her other two children,” according to the complainant.

The 24-Year-Old’s Response

The newspaper Patris visited Amaliada, where the 24-year-old woman lives with the mother of the child who died in August 2024. The woman said, “The results for my children have come out. We are waiting for the rest because the prosecutor is involved.” When asked about her friend’s child’s death, she replied angrily, “Leave little Panagiotakis alone; you’ve got things mixed up. I’ll send you to the child’s father, and you can ask him.”

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