A 60-year-old man, a patient in a central Athens hospital, has been charged with homicide in the death of a 76-year-old who was being treated for Covid-19 in the next bed, with the authorities saying the suspect turned off a respirator keeping the victim alive because noise from the machine’s operation bothered him.
Both men, the victim and alleged perpetrator, were hospitalized for acute Covid-19 symptoms, with the former intubated and kept alive with a respirator.
Authorities reportedly found fingerprints of the alleged suspect, identified as an Albanian national, on the machine, which was unplugged. Attending physicians and staff also reported that the man had previously complained about the noise.
Homicide charges were filed and the suspect placed in a special ward at the Erythros Stavros (Red Cross) hospital under police guard.
