Woman, in her forties, arrested in Peristeri over alleged atropine attempt on ex-husband

The arrest

Police arrested a woman in her forties in Peristeri on Sunday 11 October, together with her parents, after her former husband, a military doctor, filed a complaint that she had been trying to poison him with atropine. Reports say police were alerted around 19:00, and one outlet places the arrest at the junction of Kalymnou and Mykonou streets. Another report says she was detained a short distance from the home. Her parents, who reportedly waited for her in a car outside, were also arrested for alleged complicity. Reports differ on the parents' exact ages, with figures of 64 and 68 in one account and 66 and 70 in another, but both are in their sixties or seventies.

What police found

Police reportedly seized a 10 ml bottle containing a substance believed to be atropine, a second bottle with an unidentified substance, a surgical mask, gloves and a syringe from the car. The former husband said he had recorded video from a security camera he had installed in the apartment, which, according to his complaint, shows the woman entering the home with a key and pouring a liquid onto food, including a jar of honey. One account says he installed the cameras because he suspected something was wrong with his former wife. The substance has been sent to the State Chemical Laboratory, and the authorities have not yet confirmed that it is atropine. One report says the charges could be upgraded if the substance proves to be dangerous to human health.

The earlier episode and the couple's history

According to one account, the former husband fell ill in February after a meal with his former wife at a restaurant, and when the restaurant opened its camera footage, it showed her putting something into his glass. Another report says the meal took place on a Saturday and that he saw footage showing her putting something into his food during a brief absence. The couple reportedly had difficulty conceiving a child, and problems in the relationship began after they had one, according to people close to them. One report says the woman also behaved badly, without giving details.

Charges and next steps

The woman was referred to the flagrante delicto procedure, which set a hearing for 26 October. She was released because no document yet confirms that the substance found in the car is atropine. Case files were opened against her for attempted dangerous bodily harm and against her parents for simple complicity. The husband has undergone toxicology tests, with results still pending. The case returns to court on 26 October, when the lab findings may determine whether the charges change.