Shocking revelations have emerged about six children found living in a cramped 27-square-metre attic apartment in Peristeri, Athens, alongside their two parents. The children were discovered surrounded by filth, in appalling sanitary conditions, and amid piles of garbage.
Harsh Sentencing and Temporary Housing Claim
On Thursday, May 14, 2026, the two parents were sentenced by the Athens Immediate Trial Court to 16 months’ imprisonment each — convertible at €10 per day — though the court granted a suspensive effect to their appeal.
Neighbours Knew — But Helped in Vain
Residents of the area say they were well aware of the family’s dire situation. Neighbours reported seeing the children regularly in visibly poor health — wearing dirty, torn clothes — and described repeated attempts to help by donating clothing, only for the children to reappear days later in the same soiled garments.
A local resident who knew the family since around 2019 spoke to ANT1’s morning show To Proino: ‘I’ve known them since about 2019. They moved homes frequently but always stayed in this neighbourhood. I knew the children quite well — I’d see them daily for stretches of time. They were underweight, pale, clearly neglected. They had skin problems and decayed teeth — unmistakable signs of severe neglect. You could sense psychological pressure on them too. They needed silent approval from their mother — just with a glance. They behaved like little soldiers.’
The witness added that the two girls, aged eight and nine, were still wearing diapers. Meanwhile, the eldest daughter had to repeat a school year — a fact the mother reportedly presented as a positive development, saying the older and younger daughters would now attend class together, with the elder helping the younger with lessons.
Disturbing Meal Rituals
The family often visited a nearby restaurant, where they would sit at three separate tables: the parents with the two youngest children at one; the two boys at another; and the two girls at a third. The parents would order just one meal, feeding only the two youngest children and the boys. The two girls would sit at their table without food. Only after the others finished eating would the mother order a second portion — which she then divided among the remaining four children.
The family’s lawyer, also appearing on the same broadcast, contested the size of the dwelling, stating it was actually a 47-square-metre attic — and stressed it was intended as temporary housing, as the family had been forced to leave their original home.