Parents in custody over death of their baby girl

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The parents of a two-and-a-half-month-old baby girl who died on Saturday at the Makarios hospital for children were remanded in police custody for eight days by a Limassol court, following evidence the baby’s death was suspicious.

The parents, aged 37 and 22, were arrested following an autopsy on the baby by state pathologists Angeliki Papetta and Orthodoxos Orthodoxou, who found signs of abuse.

Medical examiners reported evidence of severe craniocerebral injury from violent shaking.

Both examiners ruled out the possibility of injuries occurring due to an accident or a fall.

The Limassol district Thursday court heard police say the 2.5-month-old baby was taken by her parents to the General Hospital of Limassol in a semi-conscious condition where it was deemed necessary to be transferred to the intensive care unit of Makarios Hospital in Nicosia.

According to evidence heard in court, the parents testified that the baby lost consciousness on the way to Limassol hospital, and the mother tried to resuscitate her.

A police officer said that statements given by the parents before and after their arrest were contradictory but maintained that they did not hit or shake the infant.

According to medical examiners, there was evidence of resuscitation.

The parents also testified the girl was born prematurely, at seven months on December 20 and remained in an incubator for a month.

It emerged that social services had monitored the family following a domestic violence complaint submitted in January 2021.

The family has another child, currently living with his grandparents. Police said they are looking into whether the child has also fallen victim to abuse.