Police arrested a 28-year-old man on Tuesday after his three-month-old son was hospitalised in critical condition with injuries consistent with shaken baby syndrome.
The infant was rushed to Makarios Hospital on Friday, 23 January, where doctors discovered a brain haematoma. Charalambos Charilaou, spokesperson for the State Health Services Organisation (SHSO), told Alpha TV that the baby underwent emergency surgery before being intubated. The child remains in the paediatric intensive care unit in critical condition.
Nicosia Police launched an investigation on Monday after receiving a report from hospital staff. Investigators arrested the father, a foreign national, on Tuesday morning on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm, child exposure, and ill-treatment of a child under sixteen.
The Nicosia District Court ordered the suspect’s remand for four days on Tuesday afternoon. While police initially sought an eight-day remand, a four-day period was agreed upon after the suspect’s lawyer raised no objection.
The court heard that the father was alone with the infant at their Nicosia home at the time of the alleged incident. The 28-year-old denies any involvement and told the court he intends to call the child’s paediatrician as a witness to testify in his defence.
Detectives are currently gathering witness statements from medical staff, neighbours, and family members to determine the circumstances leading to the infant’s injuries.
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