Athens pediatric hospitals house 45 children under prosecutorial orders

Forty-five children, ranging in age from infants to fifteen-year-old teenagers, are currently residing in two major pediatric hospitals in Athens under prosecutorial orders. These children are being held in hospitals as an interim measure due to unsafe domestic environments and perceived inadequacies or delays within the state's social welfare and protection systems.

Among those in hospital care are three siblings from a high-profile case in Kypseli. The children were discovered living in extreme conditions involving neglect and abuse. One sibling, a 15-year-old girl, is currently being treated in a gynecological clinic due to pregnancy, while others have faced issues including drug addiction and exposure to a deceased infant.

Hospital staff report that pediatric facilities receive over 450 children annually who present with signs of malnutrition, neglect, or abuse. The situation highlights a recurring pattern where children are brought to hospitals but are often returned to unsuitable family environments instead of being transitioned to permanent protective care structures.