Kypseli: 43-year-old’s troubled past — He had been remanded in custody for pimping

 

The shocking case in Kypseli has taken a new turn, as authorities are now focusing on the past of the 43-year-old man who was arrested.

The 43-year-old Greek national was already known to police, as in April 2020 he had been remanded in custody in connection with a pimping case, involving a woman from Germany.

According to the woman’s complaint at the time, the man had allegedly kept her confined in an apartment against her will in order to force her into prostitution.

“The Smile of the Child” statement on the case

Following media reports concerning the Kypseli case, “The Smile of the Child” issued the following statement:

1. In April 2020, the organisation received an anonymous report through the National SOS Helpline for Children 1056 concerning three children, one girl and two boys. The caller reported:

• neglect of the three children’s hygiene
• financial exploitation of the daughter
• drug use by the parents
• inadequate supervision of the children

The report was forwarded to the competent Prosecutor’s Office. The organisation received no further information regarding the progress of the case.

2. In December 2024, the organisation received an anonymous call to the National SOS Helpline for Children 1056 concerning three children, one girl and two boys. The callers reported:

• possible drug use by the girl
• physical violence by the father against the daughter
• drug use by the parents
• abuse of the daughter by the father

As insufficient identifying information was provided — such as names, location and other details — the organisation did not forward the report to the competent authorities.

3. Based on the information that has now been made public, the ages and sex of the children, as well as the family circumstances — a Greek father, a foreign mother, drug use and other factors — match those of the Kypseli case. However, this cannot be confirmed with certainty due to the lack of identifying details in the 2020 report and the 2024 call.

4. From 2024 until today, there has been no other involvement by “The Smile of the Child” organisation.

The infant suffered multiple stab wounds – Time of death cannot be determined
The findings of the medical examiner paint an especially disturbing picture. The child had more than ten stab wounds to the back, which are believed to have been inflicted by the same person using the same knife.

However, the exact time of death cannot be determined with certainty, as the infant’s body had been kept frozen. Prolonged storage in a freezing environment has significantly complicated the use of forensic evidence to establish when the child died.

A new finding concerns the child’s age, which is estimated to have been between eight and nine months old.

The key questions now are when and where the infant was killed, as well as who was responsible.

The 43-year-old man’s disturbing testimony

Yesterday, the 43-year-old man, who is believed to be the child’s father, gave a statement to authorities. Until the necessary DNA tests are completed, however, authorities are treating him as the alleged father.

According to what he is reported to have told investigators, the child had been born normally at a maternity hospital in Athens. He claims, however, that when he went to collect the baby, he was given a different infant.

He reportedly claimed that the child who was in his care died of natural causes and that, fearing the consequences — particularly the possibility that authorities might remove his other minor children from his custody — he concealed the death.

According to the same version of events, he placed the dead infant in a freezer, where the body remained for approximately two years.

Particular concern has also been raised by the way he is said to have described the situation inside the home to police. He allegedly claimed that the child cried constantly, that it was “possessed”, and that this had taken a psychological toll on his wife.

How the horrifying case came to light

The case began to unravel when residents of an apartment building on Thasou Street in Kypseli started noticing suspicious activity around the apartment.

An elderly resident had recently noticed a taxi frequently stopping at the corner and picking up people who were leaving the apartment, even though they did not appear to live there.

The property manager was informed. The apartment had been rented through a short-term rental platform, with the original agreement providing accommodation for two people. However, information reaching the manager suggested that many more people were staying inside.

The manager went to the property and, after discovering that a total of six people were inside, contacted the police.

Before the officers who had been called to the scene arrived, he spotted officers from the DIAS motorcycle police unit, and together they went up to the second floor.

Six people were found inside the apartment. Among them was a 26-year-old man, who is reported to have emerged from a room where the 15-year-old girl was present.

During the search, officers also found small quantities of drugs, and those present were taken to the police station.

When police returned to the apartment, they discovered that various items had been packed into suitcases.

According to information available, the property manager locked the apartment in order to secure the items and prevent any potential evidence from being altered or removed.

The suitcases were taken to the police station. When they were opened, officers made the grim discovery of the dead infant, frozen inside a container.

In another suitcase, officers found, among other items, a camera, a computer and sex toys. These items have been seized and are being examined in order to determine whether, and in what way, they may be connected to the case.