The three-day detention order issued against the 30-year-old father by the court on Monday is set to expire, requiring investigators to decide whether to seek a renewal or file the case for trial. The two suspects were initially remanded in connection with the offence of causing death by negligent or reckless act, in a case that appears to carry clear elements of parental negligence and child neglect, based on the facts that have emerged so far.
Stepmother's criminal liability also under consideration
Investigators are also assessing whether the children's 38-year-old stepmother bears any criminal responsibility in connection with the tragedy. Both the father and his partner had left for work on Sunday morning, while the two brothers were, according to CCTV footage secured by police, seen playing alone outside their building before apparently entering their father's vehicle, where they became trapped.
Faulty door mechanism under investigation
Two central questions are driving the investigation: how and why the boys were left unsupervised, and how they came to be locked inside the vehicle. Investigators are working to establish whether the children were genuinely left unattended or whether they were under the supervision of another person, possibly the father's brother, who resided with the family.
Specialists are also examining the car's door locking mechanism, which appears to have been faulty on at least one door. The boys are believed to have entered through an unlocked door, but when the stepmother discovered them unconscious on the back seat on Sunday afternoon, all doors were locked.
Cause of death pending further examination
The British Bases authorities have not yet announced the official cause of death following post-mortem examinations, as further specialist histopathological tests are required. However, death by asphyxiation is believed to be the likely cause, given the exceptionally high temperatures recorded on the day.
Funeral to be held in Bulgaria
Dhekelia Police continues to evaluate witness statements and information relating to the boys' movements on the day of the tragedy, alongside available CCTV footage. The funeral of the two children will be held in Bulgaria. A relative is expected to travel to Cyprus to set the necessary procedures in motion.
