Mother of dead 3-month-old arrested at Larnaca airport

Police arrested the mother, 21, of a 3-month-old baby that died in Nicosia General last week from malnourishment and neglect.

The woman, who had been abroad, was arrested on Saturday night on her return to Cyprus via Larnaca airport. The father, 23, is already serving out an eight-day remand.

On July 28, the police were informed by the staff of the Nicosia General Hospital that a three-month-old girl, who had been transferred by ambulance to the A&E, had died.

Officers visited the hospital and inspected the infant’s body, on which some marks were found, which raised suspicions of serious neglect.

 As a result, a warrant was issued against the 23-year-old father of the infant for his arrest on the offences of manslaughter, causing death by negligence, reckless or dangerous acts.

The 23-year-old was arrested and taken into custody on July 29 for questioning and on July 30, he was brought before the Nicosia District Court, which issued an eight-day remand.

During a post-mortem, according to the findings of state pathologists, the infant’s body showed signs of severe neglect.

On Saturday, the 21-year-old mother of the infant was arrested by court order at Larnaca Airport, upon her arrival in Cyprus, and she is expected to appear before the Nicosia District Court later in the day.

The 23-year-old father had initially claimed that the mother had abandoned the child two days before the incident to search for work in Salonica, Greece, however police found that she had left the house on the day the infant died.

Investigators searched their house and did not find any indication of proper childcare, such as available milk and nappies.

There also appears to be no record of the birth.

The infant and her parents lived in a five-bedroom house rented out to foreign workers.

Living conditions were deemed unsuitable, not only for an infant, but for adults as well.

Nicosia CID is investigating the case.