YESTERDAY morning’s post mortem on the two-year-old boy, who was found dead in his sleep at a nursery in Pyla on Wednesday afternoon, failed to reveal the exact cause of death.
According to state pathologist who conducted the autopsy, Eleni Antoniou, the initial suspicion of a heart attack was not confirmed and further tests will be needed.
The toddler, Theodosis Anastasi, was spotted turning blue around his mouth and lips by the nursery’s childminders at around 4pm while sleeping, and he was pronounced dead on arrival at the Larnaca general hospital.
Toxicological and tissue tests to be conducted in both Cyprus and abroad will investigate all possible causes of death, including an infection of the respiratory system, pneumonia, heart arrhythmia and myocarditis.
Antoniou said that there was no specific deadline for the test results to be back, but conceded that it could be a long procedure that could take up to a year.
The state pathologist said that while Cyprus also conducts the particular tests, the state also consults another lab abroad for difficult cases concerning heart tissue.
A specialised test will also be conducted to assess the possible effects of a jab received by the toddler a few days before his death.
Antoniou said that two-year-old had received a routine triple jab given against child illnesses, which is usually repeated until the age of four.
An autopsy conducted by pathologist Panikos Stavrianos on behalf of the toddler’s family, echoed Antoniou’s conclusions.
“The baby’s medical history is being examined since he had suffered from bronchitis in recent times, but at the moment there is nothing concrete…we will have to wait for the tests” Stavrianos said.
The two-year-old’s funeral will take place today at 11am in Pyla, with the community’s council covering all the costs.
Meanwhile, the House Education Committee revealed that it will investigate whether the communal nursery in Pyla fulfilled the designated safety provisions and had undergone the necessary thorough checks, while the committee will assess the standard of expertise of the nursery’s staff and its capability to handle similar events.
The communal nursery in Pyla was set up two years ago, and was inaugurated by the then Education Minister, Andreas Demetriou.
It has taken into its care up to 60 babies at times.
Cyprus Mail