The case revealed in Peristeri, where six underage children were found living in extremely difficult and unsanitary conditions in the attic of an apartment building, has caused intense concern and shock. Authorities describe the area as a completely abandoned environment, unsuitable for children to live in.
On Tuesday night, officers of the IS team proceeded to arrest a 37-year-old man and a 33-year-old woman, parents of the children, following an anonymous complaint. A case was filed against them for endangering children.
According to the National Police, the six children, aged between 3 and 11, were living in a place without basic sanitary conditions and showed obvious signs of neglect. The house was allegedly full of litter and dirt, creating serious health risks for them. After their discovery, the children were taken to the Aglaia Kyriakou Children’s Hospital as a precautionary measure, where they are being examined by doctors and social services.
Residents in the area said they had not seen the children for some time, with one neighbour saying he believed the family had left the neighbourhood. He said he was not aware of any incidents of physical abuse, but described the father as particularly disheveled.
From the family’s perspective, the children’s grandmother claimed that the couple was experiencing severe financial difficulties and were temporarily staying at a relative’s house while waiting to move elsewhere. She also stressed that the parents did not use violence against the children and tried to take care of them as much as they could.
The case, however, seems to have concerned the social services and Smile of the Child in the past. According to information, there had been previous complaints in 2021, February 2025 and March 2026, which related to neglect conditions, living problems and children’s absence from school. In one of the previous interventions, the children had been temporarily removed from the family before being returned to their parents again.
The president of PODEDN, Michalis Giannakos, said the children showed clear signs of neglect rather than abuse, while pointing out the need for their accommodation in an appropriate welfare structure. As he stressed, the living conditions in such a small space for eight people were extremely detrimental to the health and safety of the minors.
