Girl battles for her life after horrific crash

THE next 48 hours are critical for the three-year-old girl injured in Tuesday’s crash that killed her father and another man, doctors said yesterday.

Dr Andreas Hadjidemetriou, Chief of the Pediatrics Clinic at Makarios Hospital, said that the girl was in a critical condition and was on medication and ventilation support to keep her vital organs running.

“This is the transition phase and we need at least 48 more hours to declare whether Eleni’s condition can be declared as stable,” he said.

Eleni Theodoridou was operated on at the General Hospital and then transferred to Makarios Hospital in the Children’s Intensive Care Unit. Eleni is battling for her life after Tuesday’s accident left her with a cerebral contusion, liver damage, abdominal lesions and multiple bruising on the face and other parts of her body.

The accident happened on Tuesday morning at approximately 7.40am, one kilometre outside the village of Ayia Marina tis Xyliatou on the road to Astromeritis, when the two cars collided. Police have blamed excessive speed for the accident.

The victims are Eleni’s father Christakis Theodorides, 34, from Astromeritis, and Panayiotis Photiou, 21, from Ayia Marina tis Xyliatou.

Theodorides was driving his wife Panayiota and their three young children from Astromeritis to Ayia Marina , where the children go to school and Panayiota works.

Photiou was driving the second car. He was a reservist soldier on his way to camp. Police said it appeared he had not been wearing a seat belt.

Eleni’s mother is recovering from surgery in the Women’s Orthopaedic Ward in the General Hospital and she is considered out of danger.

Eleni’s siblings, Andreas, 11, and Maria, eight, were also transferred to Makarios Hospital yesterday evening preventively, although their conditions are out of danger.

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