Atorney general Costas Clerides has appointed two lawyers to carry out a criminal inquiry into death of 15 year Stylianos who took his own life in September.
In an announcement, Clerides said having studied a report submitted by Ombdusman Maria Stylianou Lottidou following her investigation into the boy’s death at the government’s request, he had concluded there was a possibility some persons committed a criminal offence.
He did not elaborate but said that in the view of the individuals who may be involed, he had decided there should be a criminal inquiry by independent criminal investigators. To this end, he has appointed lawyers Modestos Poyiadjis and Andreas E Andreou who have been asked to complete their investigation in two months.
In her report in late November, Lottidou catalogued negligence bordering on the criminal by social workers as well as disciplinary omissions by police officers.
The teen’s death — and reports of emotional and other abuse at his home in a community in the Nicosia district — had shocked public opinion and prompted authorities to put his two younger siblings in the care of the social services.
In an announcement, Lottidou said at the time that the report found disciplinary offences by first response police officers and criminal and disciplinary offences by social workers.
A third person – not a state employee — may have committed a criminal offence. Although this person is not named, the wording suggests she was referring to the boy’s father.
Lottidou referred to ‘complete inaction’ over the period of 2013 and 2019 and said that if circulars and protocols had been adhered to, then the outcome may have been different.
“No one knows for certain what would have been the outcome if there had been timely and individualised intervention by the social services. But we know the tragic result of its absence,” she said.
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https://in-cyprus.com/report-slams-social-services-over-15-year-olds-death/
