Surgeon convicted in death of 14-year-old after gastric band surgery, sentenced to over 7 years

A surgeon has been sentenced to 7 years and 3 months in prison for his role in the death of 14-year-old Georgia following a gastric band surgery in June 2021. The Mixed Jury Court of Giannitsa found the surgeon guilty of aggravated fatal exposure and forgery, though he was acquitted of a lesser charge related to document removal.

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In 12 days, your child will be back in the gym.

The court did not grant the surgeon any mitigating factors. His appeal will have a suspensive effect on the sentence execution, provided he pays a €10,000 bail and is prohibited from performing any medical procedures. Additionally, he faces a one-year ban from practicing his profession as a secondary penalty.

During his defense, the surgeon denied the charges, claiming he acted according to medical standards and citing his extensive experience. This conviction follows two previous suspended prison sentences for similar cases involving patient deaths after comparable surgeries, both of which are now final. The court considered these prior convictions when referring the surgeon to trial for the 14-year-old's death, imposing restrictions, including a ban on participating in surgeries, until the case was heard.

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My mistake was not getting a second and third opinion from other doctors. I was too trusting.

The family had sought a solution for their daughter's childhood obesity, with the surgeon assuring them of a quick recovery. The father admitted his mistake in not seeking a second or third opinion. After the surgery, Georgia was discharged but returned to the hospital three days later with severe pain and subsequently died. Her family is left with the question of "why."

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You didn't just take my child, you took the child from her mother. (...) Did they ask us what we went through and what we are going through?