Findings that point to Malena Daskalaki’s suffocation were identified in the histological re-evaluation made by the pathologist Christos Eftychiadis, who testified at the trial of Roula Pispirigou before the MOD, for the death of her two youngest daughters.

The witness carried out histological tests, as part of the forensic report handed over to the judicial authorities for the deaths of 3.5-year-old Malena and six-month-old Irida, by coroners Nikos Karakoukis, head of the Forensic Service, and Nikos Kalogrias.

According to the pathologist, all findings lead to suffocation suffered by Malena, whose death can in no way be attributed to liver failure, as was initially estimated. “Hepatic failure cannot stand in general. It requires some experience. Even the lightning strike needs some time and some symptoms,” said the witness, emphasizing that there was no clinical or laboratory evidence of liver failure in Malena.

The witness said that before he started the histological examination had close contact with Mr. Karakoukis and Mr. Kalogria to obtain information:

“We were in close contact. They gave me general information. I was told that we had a hospitalized child with leukemia at “Children’s”, but healthy, that he was doing well, who allegedly “gone” suddenly, that is, that we had a sudden death… I was told that no pathology was found to justify the sudden death».

The witness emphasized the hypoxia that led to vacuolar degeneration of liver cells, a finding that was initially linked to liver failure, stating that “asphyxiation can cause damage to all zones of the liver». He also ruled out poisoning as the cause of the cell degeneration.

  • Chair: What is hypoxia and anoxia?
  • Witness: Hypoxia is a lack of oxygen and anoxia is its extreme form. Suffocation is a type of hypoxia by technical means.
  • President: In suffocation what do we expect to see?
  • Witness: Everything we’ve found here. Vacuolar degeneration, pulmonary edema, organ congestion, perhaps some myocardial edema. In cases of suffocation first, as far as I know because this is not our part, the brain is affected. And then the liver. He should, as in this case, have swelling in all his zones.
  • Chairman: Do you see it in the sections?
  • Witness: Vacuolar degeneration. There was not a single healthy cell. I wrote universal, not extensive.

There was tension in court when the witness reported that the image of Malena a few hours before she died, which was brought to him, was of a child with leukemia in the hospital with no symptoms, “who ate skewers and bam died surprising everyone». This phrase irritated the accused, who addressed the pathologist in a loud voice.

  • Pispirigou: How did you learn that he ate souvlaki, Mr. Eftychiadis? Who told you such things?
  • Witness: The medical examiners!
  • President: Madam defendant, please!

The trial continues.