In a shocking case from Peristeri, a mother of six young children — aged three to 13 — has been revealed to be pregnant with her seventh child, even as authorities intervened following reports of extreme neglect and unsanitary living conditions. The family lived in a cramped 27-square-metre rooftop apartment cluttered with garbage and filth, far removed from basic standards of hygiene, safety, or dignity.
A Life in Crisis
The children’s deteriorating health and isolation from normal childhood experiences — including school attendance — had raised growing alarm among neighbours and local officials. Witnesses described seeing the children repeatedly in dirty, torn clothing, despite repeated attempts by concerned residents to provide clean clothes and support. Reports indicate that the family’s situation worsened over time, culminating in formal intervention by Greek child protection services.
Arrest and Legal Proceedings
On Thursday, May 14, 2026, both parents were arrested in Peristeri and subsequently charged with child neglect and endangerment. They were released pending trial, but the case has drawn national attention — especially after it emerged that the mother is now pregnant with her seventh child.
Speaking to investigators, the mother acknowledged severe hardship, citing financial strain and overcrowding. She explained that the family had spent ten days confined to the tiny rooftop space, where a single toilet was constantly occupied. When her children developed gastroenteritis, she resorted to giving them plastic bags to use for toileting — unable to descend the building repeatedly to dispose of them, particularly while pregnant. “I’m seven months pregnant and couldn’t go down every time,” she said.
Past Residence on Lipsi Island
Prior to returning to Peristeri, the eight-member family — including the two parents — had lived for five months on the island of Lipsi, where one grandmother resides. During their stay, teachers and locals noticed troubling signs: one child reportedly soiled themselves at school, prompting a teacher to suggest they change clothes. The child responded, “If you saw what our home is like, you’d understand.” Later, the mother reportedly told school staff she had no clean clothes to give the child — a statement that deeply unsettled educators and other parents on the island.
The school principal, who taught the older siblings, recalled the children’s fearful, withdrawn demeanour — describing them as visibly anxious and unusually obedient, even when instructed to sit motionless on a bench until told otherwise. That image, he said, left lasting concern among staff about the children’s emotional and physical well-being.