A 67-year-old caretaker was handed a suspended prison sentence after hidden camera footage captured her repeatedly striking an 82-year-old woman in her care on the island of Chios, in a case that has reignited debate about the protection of elderly people in private home care.
The footage, broadcast by Mega TV, was obtained after the victim's son grew suspicious and installed a concealed camera.
It shows the caretaker hitting the elderly woman, who is heard screaming and pleading: "Don't hit me, I didn't do anything."
The victim's daughter-in-law told reporters that the 82-year-old's physical and mental health had deteriorated significantly during the three months since the family hired the Bulgarian national. Police arrested the caretaker immediately after the family filed a formal complaint supported by the video evidence.
Following a fast-track trial, a local court sentenced the defendant to one year in prison suspended for three years and ordered her release.
The outcome has drawn sharp criticism from advocacy groups and legal commentators who argue the punishment fails to reflect the gravity of the abuse.
"We trusted this woman to protect our mother, but she turned her home into a nightmare," the daughter-in-law said.
The case is the latest in a series of elder abuse incidents reported across Greece, fueling calls for a mandatory state registry of certified domestic caregivers and more rigorous vetting of private home-care providers.
Greece has no centralized licensing system for domestic caregivers, leaving families largely dependent on informal networks and personal references when hiring home care.