The Mixed Jury Court of Athens has unanimously found Roula Pispirigou guilty of the murder of her two younger daughters, Malena and Iris. The court sentenced her to double life imprisonment for premeditated homicide in a calm state of mind, fully adopting the prosecutor’s recommendation.
Pispirigou, 36, is already serving a life sentence for the murder of her eldest daughter, Georgina, whom she allegedly poisoned with ketamine. Today, she received the verdict for the deaths of her two other children, Malena, aged 3.5 years, and Iris, aged 6 months, accused of causing their deaths through suffocation. If found guilty, she faced another double life sentence, which has now been imposed.
The murders
According to the prosecution, Pispirigou was responsible for the asphyxiation of her children. The first case occurred on 13 April 2019 at the “Aglaia Kyriakou” hospital, where Malena was hospitalised after successfully recovering from lymphadenitis. Despite her good clinical condition, she suddenly died. Initially, her death was attributed to liver failure by a forensic examiner.
Nearly two years later, on 21 March 2021, Pispirigou allegedly suffocated her six-month-old daughter, Iris, while the infant was asleep at their home. The initial medical assessment attributed the baby’s death to sinus node agenesis-hypoplasia.
The case took a dramatic turn on 29 January 2022, with the death of Pispirigou’s third child, Georgina. This event triggered further investigations, leading authorities to re-examine the deaths of Malena and Iris. The judicial inquiry resulted in Pispirigou facing charges in two separate trials.
“I am not a murderer” – Pispirigou defends herself
During her defence, Pispirigou maintained her innocence, insisting she could never harm her children. “I may not have been the best mother, but I am not a murderer,” she claimed in court.
However, the prosecution dismissed her defence. The prosecutor described her as an egotistical woman obsessed with her husband, who saw her children as obstacles to keeping her marriage intact.
“You killed your two daughters out of self-centredness. Your selfish desire to save your marriage took precedence,” the prosecutor stated, calling the two young victims “helpless Iphigenias.”
The prosecutor referred to extensive evidence and witness testimonies, urging the court to reject Pispirigou’s claims and declare her guilty. She also criticised forensic experts involved in the initial investigations, accusing them of professional misconduct.
Verdict and sentencing
Following deliberations, the court ruled Pispirigou guilty on all counts, sentencing her to two life sentences. The verdict was reached unanimously, aligning with the prosecution’s stance.
The packed courtroom included the father of the three deceased children and Pispirigou’s former husband, Manos Daskalakis, as well as relatives of the defendant.
Pispirigou’s defence was led by Anastasia Baka, a collaborator of the late lawyer Alexis Kougias, who had initially handled her case.
“She strangled her children to keep her marriage alive”
The prosecutor, in her closing argument, described Pispirigou as a “proud woman” whose obsessive love for her husband led her to commit unthinkable acts.
“She is a defiant woman, suffocating her children to preserve her marriage with Daskalakis. Her egocentricity turns into narcissism, consuming her from within. She cannot accept rejection; she cannot accept abandonment by her husband,” the prosecutor declared.
“What happens to the little girls? They become helpless Iphigenias so that she can continue living her marital dream. As long as she can be with Daskalakis, that is all that matters. What does her behaviour reveal? She acts methodically, deliberately, and with a plan. The loss of love is betrayed by her cold gaze, which mirrors the stiffness of her fingers,” the prosecutor concluded.
European Court of Human Rights appeal considered
With Pispirigou now serving multiple life sentences, her legal team is reportedly considering an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. Meanwhile, the case has left the nation in shock, marking one of the most disturbing child murder trials in recent Greek history.
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Source: To Vima / ANA-MPA
