Footage from a camera installed in the kitchen of a military doctor’s home in Peristeri, western Athens, captures the moment his estranged wife, 41, allegedly added atropine to food in an attempt to poison him.

In the videos, the woman can be seen wearing a cap, gloves and a surgical mask as she carefully adds the poisonous substance to jars containing food before returning them to a kitchen cupboard.

According to reports, the substance was added to several food items, including salt and honey.

How the case came to light

The first signs that something was wrong emerged in February, when the military doctor began experiencing suspicious symptoms after eating meals. Initially, however, he did not suspect that his estranged wife, with whom he has a young child, might have been responsible.

A crucial development came approximately two months ago at a restaurant in Athens’ northern suburbs. The doctor requested access to the restaurant’s CCTV footage and reportedly discovered that the 41-year-old had secretly poured an unidentified liquid into his glass.

Following that incident, he decided to install cameras in his home to establish what was happening and gather evidence. On the afternoon of Sunday, 11 October, while watching a live feed from the surveillance system, he saw the woman tampering with food in the kitchen, including a jar of honey.

Police intervention and three arrests

As soon as he realised what was happening, the military doctor contacted the police and headed towards his home. According to reports, he followed the 41-year-old as she left the property until officers from the DIAS motorcycle patrol unit stopped and arrested her.

Shortly afterwards, the woman’s parents were also arrested. They were sitting in a car nearby and are believed to have been waiting for her. During a search of the vehicle, police discovered and seized 10ml of atropine, along with gloves and a mask.

The seized substance was sent to Greece’s General Chemical State Laboratory for analysis, while the case has been referred to the judicial authorities.