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Woman 'tortured and killed' in front of baby in horrific burglary

A young British mum has been tortured and killed next to her baby by burglars who broke into her home and tied up her husband.

Caroline Crouch was strangled in the home she shared with her husband Babis Anagnostopoulos in the Athens neighbourhood of Glyka Nera about 5am on Tuesday (local time).

Greek newspaper Proto Thema reports the 20-year-old student was sleeping next to her 11-month-old child when thieves who broke into her house, tied her up and brutally killed her.

Caroline Crouch was strangled to death by burglars. Source: Instagram
Caroline Crouch was strangled to death by burglars. Source: Instagram

The thieves reportedly tortured the couple to find out whether there was money and jewellery in the home.

During the brutal ordeal, the family dog was also hung from the railings of the two-storey home.

The woman's devastated husband told police the people who broke in were wearing hoods.

"I do not know how many people there were, I was tied up. There were at least three," he said, according to Proto Thema.

A $465,000 reward has been offered to those who can help lead police to an arrest. Source: Instagram
A $465,000 reward has been offered to those who can help lead police to an arrest. Source: Instagram

The 32-year-old helicopter pilot also testified the thieves said, "tell us where the money is, we will kill the baby".

The Athenian-Macedonian News Agency reports the robbers stole about $23,000 in cash and almost $40,000 worth of jewellery.

The baby was unharmed in the ordeal.

In the wake of the tragedy Greek authorities took the rare step of offering a cash reward for information leading to arrests over the "barbaric" home invasion.

Caroline Crouch and Babis Anagnostopoulos had their home broken into in Glyka Nera, Athens. Source: Instagram
Caroline Crouch and Babis Anagnostopoulos had their home broken into in Glyka Nera, Athens. Source: Instagram

The minister responsible for public order, Michalis Chrisochoidis, described the killing as “particularly heinous”, and the government announced a $465,000 reward.

“One rarely encounters such barbarity in Greece, in Greek society, even among criminals,” Chrisochoidis said, adding that two teams of detectives had been set up to handle the investigation.

with AP

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