**Title: Defence Challenges Social Welfare Responsibility in Teen Suicide Trial**
The trial concerning the tragic suicide of teenager Stylianos Constantinou in September 2019 continued on Thursday, with the defence team questioning the extent of responsibility held by social welfare services in the case. The proceedings featured cross-examination of key prosecution witness Andreas Andreou, a criminal investigator, by defence attorney Andreas Christou, representing two of the defendants.
During the hearing, Andreou reiterated the serious circumstances surrounding Stylianos's life, including a history of domestic violence within his household. He referenced previous statements made by Stylianos, who had reported being physically abused by his father, describing instances where he was beaten with a belt and stating that his father would “beat him like a dog” at the family-owned farm.
The case has garnered significant attention, particularly due to the fact that Stylianos had previously attempted suicide in May 2019, which raised questions about the adequacy of support provided to him by social welfare services. In a previous session earlier this week, Andreou had cited this earlier attempt as a critical moment that could have warranted more proactive intervention.
Christou presented evidence during the cross-examination, including logs from social welfare officers that indicated they were overwhelmed by their caseloads. In 2019, the Latsia office, where one of the defendants was employed as a supervisor, was reportedly managing around 980 cases related to the preventive protection of minors. When confronted with this information, Andreou acknowledged the staffing challenges faced by the social welfare services.
The defence attorney further argued that while social welfare services had the authority to remove children from parental custody, they were not obligated to do so. This point was raised in response to Andreou's earlier assertion that had Stylianos been temporarily placed in protective custody, he might still be alive today. Andreou maintained that the law indeed grants social workers the authority to act in the best interests of minors when necessary.
The discussion then shifted to a specific incident from May 13, 2013, when a report of physical violence against Stylianos was filed. At that time, social welfare services met with Stylianos, took his statement, and made arrangements to support his mother. Andreou stated that the social workers had performed their duties adequately during this incident.
However, the defence presented an official document from social welfare services regarding the May incident, which described Stylianos's attempted suicide as stemming from "disappointment due to a love affair." Andreou acknowledged this characterization but emphasized that subsequent investigations revealed contradictory testimonies. Friends of Stylianos reported that he had sustained a bruise after placing a shotgun under his chin, and acquaintances refuted the notion that his failed suicide attempt was related to romantic issues.
Andreou underscored the severity of the May incident, labeling it the most significant event in Stylianos's life leading up to his death. He suggested that had psychological support measures been implemented at that time, it is possible that the tragic outcome could have been prevented.
The trial is set to continue on Friday, as the court seeks to determine the factors that contributed to the young boy's untimely death and the roles played by various parties involved in his care and protection. The proceedings highlight the critical discussions surrounding mental health support, the responsibilities of social welfare services, and the complexities of domestic violence cases.