Family of murdered mother and son asked to pay for suspect’s medical aid

Social services have asked the family of a mother and son who were stabbed to death last week to pay for a rib brace the suspected perpetrator required after his arrest, their lawyer said on Thursday.

Police have detained the woman’s 59-year-old husband in connection with killing his wife, 51, and son, 20, and injuring his other son 25.

The man had fled the scene following the 6.30am incident but was located and arrested in an abandoned shed in Tseri a few hours later. During the arrest he attacked officers and sustained an injury that required the use of a rib brace.

Olympios Christofi, the family’s lawyer, told Alpha television on Thursday that the welfare services had contacted the family asking them to buy the medical device the suspect needed.

“Unfortunately, this is how things are,” he said. “It proves beyond doubt how many shortcomings this state has. The system must be overhauled,” the lawyer said.

The welfare services, the psychiatric services, and the police, have been under fire following the murder for allegedly not acting before despite the signs being there.

It quickly emerged that the family had sought help from the police around two months earlier. Their situation was also known by the welfare services.

It also emerged that the suspect had killed before, when he was 15, and had spent nine years in psychiatric care.

Christofi said he has written to the attorney-general asking for a probe into how the case had been handled. He has also written to the labour minister requesting clarity on what the state was going to do in relation with the 25-year-old son.

“Will there be support or just a cheque?” he asked.