“I received a cardiorespiratory stable child. He was a child with a very serious neurological problem. Throughout her hospitalization, Georgina did not cause any problems,” testified at her trial Roulas Pispirigou the pediatrician-intensivist at Onassios Stavroula Buda.

The doctor testified in the Joint Jury about the day Georgina was admitted to Onassio, a day she was on duty, as well as about the day after when the child had an episode of convulsions: “The next day shortly before eight he had a convulsive episode, with eye fixation, we recorded a saturation of 90 and oxygen was administered. The key to this is to solve the episode before 30 minutes have passed. He needed support with ambu (for artificial respiration). Just before the 20 minute mark he responded. At the time she developed the convulsions she had a fever of over 39. The fever triggered the convulsions. Thereafter, the child remained disembodied and stable.” said the witness.

The doctor referred to the information she gave to the mother over the phone and then during the following days: “I had seen the mother several times during Georgina’s hospitalization. She came often, I informed her. Some visits were also allowed in the afternoon. I had seen the father, but I had no conversation.”

Chairman: What are the causes of spasms?

Witness: They are multiple. It belongs to the specialty of pediatric neurologists.

Chairman: What are the symptoms?

Witness: There are categories. There are also spasms in the context of syndromes.

Chairman: What do you see to tell it’s convulsions?

Witness: They are limb movements. The whole body can be involved. These are involuntary movements in the body that are pathological.

Chairman: Have you testified about a conversation you had with the mother?

Witness: I saw the mother the day after the convulsions. I tried to understand, to see what had happened at home (when it had been introduced to Karamandanio). She told me that at home Georgina was lying down, shaking and she said “mom I’m shaking I’m shaking”. This is not convulsions, because he had communication. He replied that after that he lost her. Somewhere there our discussion stopped.

Chairman: What is meant? Is this not medically evaluated?

Witness: It is not rated as a convulsive episode.

When asked about the mother’s behavior in general, the witness said that “she was very calm given the circumstances.”

Defense: You said before about the mother’s behavior that she seemed cool to you. In your statement to GADA, you say that when you informed the mother over the phone about the episode of convulsions, the mother was worried and upset. Does that look cool to you?

Witness: Mother in our conversations was always cool. In our phone conversation she sounded anxious…

The trial continues on June 19.