Four of the five babies were brought dead to the hospital, in the case involving Irini Murtzoukou
All the details of the authorities’ investigations and the persons who were involved in the five cases of infant deaths in Achaia and Ilia, with Irini Mourtzoukou as the central figure, are included in the report of the Peloponnese Police Directorate to the Chief of the Greek Police, without however concluding to some specific item on the causes of death of the children.
The report specifically states:
1) On 04/02/2021, the 3rd A.T. Patras, was informed by the Children’s Hospital of Patras “KARAMANDANEIO” regarding the sudden death of an infant (thili) a.k.o., born 22/07/2020, living resident of Patras, street ….. At 05:07 on 04/02/2021 and while the infant was at home, he presented with bronchitis and died. He was delivered dead by an E.K.A.B. station. at the hospital (Karamandanio). According to information, the infant had been diagnosed with epilepsy and was receiving relevant medication. In January of the same year, he was admitted to the aforementioned hospital as he had a history of seizures. In addition, on 02-02-2021 the infant had undergone a pneumococcal vaccine by a pediatrician.
As part of the preliminary investigation, an autopsy was ordered and the case file was submitted to the Prosecutor’s Office of Patras, from where witness statements were ordered and subsequently resubmitted. According to the Forensic Report of the Necropsy – Necropsy of the infant, no macroscopically visible injuries were found and the cause of death is “Childhood Interstitial Pneumonitis”. In addition, relevant genetic testing is underway, which has not yet been completed. For the above incident, the participation of Irini Mourtzoukos, born 21/07/2000, a resident of Amaliada, but as the mother of the infant stated to the media, on the day in question, she had entrusted the custody of her child to Irini Murtzouko.
2) On 26/10/2023 by the A.T. of Western Achaia, submitted to Mr. Police Prosecutor of Patras pre-investigative material concerning the death of a female infant (unbaptized), unknown father, born 01/06/2022 in Patra Achaia, with mother Irini Mourtzoukou. Specifically, at 01:10 on 19/06/2022, the above mother, while sleeping with her infant in a room of their home, noticed difficulty in his breathing and because his condition was getting worse, at 01:20 she called EKAV and an ambulance he was transported to the Kato Achaia Health Center, where his death was later confirmed by the doctor on duty.
According to his mother’s affidavit, the infant was born on 06/01/2022 at the Obstetrics Clinic of the General Hospital of Patras “AGIOS ANDREAS” and remained for monitoring in the Neonatal Unit, due to difficulty in feeding and for examinations. On the 6th 24 hours of his life (07/06/2022), being in a good general condition, he was discharged with the instructions of the treating Pediatrician-Neonologist, to carry out examinations. As part of the preliminary investigation, the mother of the infant presented to the above competent Service f/fa medical documents (discharge for the pregnancy, instructions for the infant and newborn screening test), which show the tests carried out on the infant during his stay in the Neonatal Unit as well as the medication she received there.
The infant’s mother resided with her partner, Bangladeshi foreign national SM, b. 1985. From the above competent Service, the Forensic Service of Patras was ordered to carry out an autopsy-necrotomy and toxicological tests on the infant, and the autopsy-necrotomy report was submitted to Mr. Prosecutor of the City of Patras and as the cause of death states that it occurred as a result of childhood interstitial pneumonitis.
3) After the previous event, namely on 18/08/2023, Mourtzoukou Irini had a second child (female), born 18/08/2023, who passed away on 17/10/2023 at the General Children’s Hospital of Athens “AGIA SOFIA” where he was hospitalized. He was transferred to the said hospital from the Children’s Hospital of Patras “KARAMANDANEIO” on 18/09/2023 and was hospitalized until his death. The preliminary investigation into the death of the particular infant was undertaken by the Police Department of Ampelokipo Attica, from where the autopsy was ordered to the Medical Forensic Service of Athens, which reports a pathological history of epilepsy as the cause of sudden death.
4) On 05/08/2024 at 13:15 the AT was informed. Elidas from the Amaliada Nursing Unit that he was transported by his own means by his relatives, a dead child, born 04/05/2023, cat. alive Amaliada. Police officers of A.T. Ilidas and T.A. Ilidas, they went to the Amaliada Hospital, where they found the child’s mother, Mourtzoukou’s friend Irini, as well as another woman. The competent Service was informed by the doctor that the child was transferred inside the Hospital to the hands of Mourztou Irini. They immediately performed all medical actions to revive him, but this was not possible and during the attempt to revive him, the child vomited milk. Following this, the aforementioned Doctor delivered a death notice, where, among other things, he stated that the child was delivered without a heartbeat, with a time of death of 14:05 on 08-05-2024. The Forensic Service of Patras was informed about the incident.
During the stay of the police officers at the Hospital, an Affidavit was received from the mother of the minor, who raised suspicions against her friend, Irini Mourtzoukou, without mentioning any specific facts and stated that at around 12:30 she was at her home with Irini Mourtzoukou and the child. The child was in a stroller in the living room of the house. After about two minutes of the mother’s absence in the toilet, when she returned and in the presence of Murtzoukou Irini, she found that the child had passed out. He immediately took it to a nearby sofa, patted it on the back and brought out curdled milk. Then she called a relative and they took the child to the hospital.
At 15:00 at the same time (08-05-2024), police officers of the A.T. Ilidas at the child’s house together with Police officers of the T.A. Elidas, where an autopsy was performed on the site and photographs were taken, without finding drugs or other substances inside the house. Vomit residue was found on a couch in the living room. Afternoon hours of 05-08-2024 at A.T. Ilidas and in T.A. A total of six -6- statements were taken from Elida, one of which was complementary to the mother, who categorically denied what she had given to the Hospital regarding suspicions against her friend. In no. 143/24 extract of death certificate states unspecified cause of death, pending results of toxicological tests. On 10-22-2024, via e-mail, the Forensic Service of Patras met at A.T. Elidas that their answer is not possible, since the necropsy material is not received from the competent pathology laboratory of the University of Athens.
5) Additionally, it is stated that ten years ago, that is on 02/06/2014, the A.T. Argos was informed by the Argos Hospital that at 17:05 at the same time, M.Z., born 26/08/2012 (Mourtzou’s sister Irene) unconscious, where despite the efforts of the doctors, it was not possible to revive her and her death was confirmed.
According to the forensic and toxicology report, the cause of death of the above child is due to a lower respiratory tract infection and childhood interstitial pneumonitis.
