The case of a dead infant found frozen inside a suitcase in an Airbnb apartment in Kypseli, Athens, is unfolding as a thriller with constant twists. A forensic examination has revealed more than ten stab wounds on the child’s back, while authorities are unraveling a web of contradictory claims, three minors placed in protective custody, searches across two properties, and active coordination with German police. The three suspects are due to appear before an examining magistrate on Wednesday, and in light of the new forensic findings, prosecutors are expected to consider significantly upgraded charges in connection with the infant’s death.
The discovery that has transformed the Kypseli case into a criminal investigation is that of forensic pathologist Symeon Mesogitis. Markings that had raised concerns during the initial examination of the body were confirmed to be multiple stab wounds. According to sources, more than ten wounds of varying depth were identified on the infant’s back. Based on the forensic findings gathered so far, death is attributed to the multiple stab wounds, and the case is now being treated as a criminal act. However, the condition in which the body was found makes it difficult to draw firm conclusions on two critical points: the exact time of death and the child’s age. Initial estimates place the infant’s age at approximately eight to nine months.
“They switched our baby at the hospital and gave us a possessed one”
Against this backdrop, the statements reportedly made to police by the 43-year-old man presented as the infant’s father have caused particular shock. According to sources, he referred to the baby crying constantly and to his wife’s deteriorating psychological state. He then allegedly made an extraordinary claim — that the hospital had switched their baby and given them a different child. “The baby was crying non-stop and my wife had fallen apart. They swapped it at the maternity hospital and gave us another one that was possessed by the devil. As soon as it died, our home became peaceful again.”
The 38-year-old German woman, for her part, claims to be the biological mother of the deceased infant. The body had been found inside a glass jar placed within a suitcase attributed to her.
From an Airbnb complaint to a horrifying discovery in Kypseli
The case came to light almost by chance. Everything began when officers from the DIAS motorcycle police unit responded to a complaint regarding an apartment on Thasou Street in Kypseli, where a group of adults and minors were staying. During their search, officers encountered the macabre find: the dead infant, frozen and concealed inside luggage.
From that moment, the case took an entirely different turn. Initial detentions were converted into formal arrests, while a parallel investigation was launched into both the child’s death and the living conditions of the other minors present. According to police sources, the apartment also contained suitcases holding sexual items, as well as narcotic substances.
A second property on Fylis Street under scrutiny
The investigation was not limited to the Kypseli Airbnb. Officers also searched a property on Fylis Street, where the 43-year-old and the 38-year-old German woman are reported to have lived for approximately two years. The pair are believed to have only moved to Kypseli in the last ten days. One scenario under investigation is therefore whether the dead infant had previously been kept at the Fylis Street residence and was then transported with them to the Kypseli Airbnb. Searches at the Thasou Street apartment continued in the presence of a prosecutor, while the 43-year-old was escorted back to the scene by officers to assist in the collection of further evidence.
Three children in protective custody — 15-year-old found to be pregnant
A second, deeply sensitive dimension of the case concerns the three minors now in protective custody. The 15-year-old girl is pregnant, and test results reveal that both she and a 9-year-old boy are infected with syphilis, with treatment already underway. A 12-year-old boy remains hospitalized and is undergoing further examinations to fully assess his health condition.
Of particular note, forensic examinations of the two boys have so far shown no signs of sexual abuse. The presence of sexual items in the apartment and the syphilis diagnoses alone are not sufficient to draw conclusions about abuse. The children had previously been taken to a children’s hospital, and a social services file is reported to have already existed in connection with the family.
Authorities are also expected to proceed with DNA testing to establish biological relationships and determine whether the claims made regarding family ties among those involved can be verified.
The puzzle of the German woman’s identity
Another baffling element of the case concerns the true age of the woman presenting herself as the infant’s mother. She initially identified herself to authorities as 28 years old. Further verification of her personal details, however, revealed that she was born in 1988, making her 38 years old. According to sources, she reportedly provided a false date of birth. This development has led investigators to scrutinize her statements with particular care and cross-reference everything she has claimed.
The couple’s past is now also under the microscope. The 38-year-old is reported to have told Greek authorities that the 43-year-old abducted her from Germany when she was still a minor — a claim that has not been verified at this stage.
Greek police have already established contact with their German counterparts to seek background information on both individuals and to determine whether German authorities hold any records that could corroborate or contradict the woman’s account.
Wednesday’s hearing — upgraded charges on the table
The three suspects — the 43-year-old Greek national, the 38-year-old German woman, and a 26-year-old Afghan man — were brought before the Evelpidon courthouse. They face felony charges of drug trafficking and a misdemeanor charge of failing to report the discovery of a dead body. They were referred to an examining magistrate, who granted them time to submit their statements on Wednesday morning.
However, those charges were filed before the full picture of the infant’s violent death had emerged. The finding of more than ten stab wounds now creates new parameters for the criminal investigation. The evidence regarding the circumstances of death will be forwarded to prosecutors, and a substantial upgrading of the charges is considered likely. The key question now is who inflicted the fatal wounds on the infant — and what role each person in the child’s immediate environment played.
