The trial concerning the circumstances surrounding the death of 14-year-old Stylianos Constantinou was postponed on Wednesday because the Nicosia District Court was unable to proceed.
The hearing is scheduled to resume on Thursday at 11:00, when the prosecution is expected to complete its examination of a former liaison officer assigned to the teenager’s case.
Witness examination to continue
The prosecution witness, identified by the initials S.K., served as liaison officer for Stylianos’ case between 2010 and 2011.
Once her examination by the prosecution is completed, defence lawyers representing the accused are expected to begin their cross-examination.
The proceedings concern the circumstances that preceded Stylianos’ death in September 2019, when he took his own life at the age of 14.
Allegations under court scrutiny
The court is examining possible responsibility within the teenager’s family and among state services involved in his case.
The issues under consideration include allegations of abuse or neglect in the family home, whether the child’s mother was aware of such incidents without reporting them, and whether Social Welfare Services officers adequately assessed and acted upon the information available to them.
Concerns raised from 2010
During her testimony on Tuesday, S.K. said there had been “many alarm bells” as early as 2010 that should have prompted action by the services involved.
She referred to reports of serious neglect, violence within the family environment, extremely poor living conditions and significant behavioural problems displayed by Stylianos at school.
According to the witness, the available information pointed to serious family dysfunction. She described the child as visibly neglected and said there were clear indications that he was living in a severely troubled home environment.
She also referred to concerns raised by teachers regarding Stylianos’ safety, as well as the safety of other pupils and school staff.
Source: CNA
