Male nurse detained in Larnaca abduction

Reports Friday afternoon said a male nurse was being questioned in the Larnaca abduction case, after investigators learned that he was supplying the kidnapper with prescription tranquilizers that may have been used in drugging the two school boys.

Friday’s latest development follows new details emerged in the case, with police learning that the main suspect, 35-year-old Yiorgos “George” Nicolaou, was the same person who had called in a bomb threat at a different school Tuesday morning, minutes prior to abducting two 11-year-olds from Kamares Elementary in Larnaca.

Nicolaou snatched the two boys and took them about a kilometre away from the school to his apartment, where it turned out that he drugged them by putting a tranquilizer in their lemonade. A number of prescription drugs were found in his apartment, according to media reports. 

Investigators believe the 41-year-old nurse took prescription pills from the hospital where he worked, based on statements made by Nicolaou who provided some information. Police, who did not confirm the latest developments, believe the nurse attempted to influence a doctor in saying he was seeing Nicolaou professionally, according to media sources. 

It is still not clear whether police know at this point what happened during the time Nicolaou was keeping the two boys, but reports said the officers found the two pupils on a bed in a semi-conscious state and unaware of their surroundings.

Knews reported previously on a possible person of interest acting as an associate of Nicolaou. While the reports were quickly tossed aside from day one, police revealed later they did not rule out the possibility that Nicolaou had one or more associates.

Police investigators are very intently pursuing leads from lab test results and computer forensics, hoping they can learn additional information including possible a motive.

Knews learned that the content found on computers in the apartment as well as an adjacent office used by Nicolaou remains top priority for investigators.