Polish teen arrested in Greece over the brutal killing of a 16-year-old girl

THESSALONIKI, Greece (AP) — A 17-year-old Polish high school student appeared in a Greek court on Monday after being arrested over the killing of a 16-year-old girl in Poland, authorities said.

The suspect, who was in Greece as part of a school exchange program, refused a voluntary extradition request during his court appearance in the northern city of Thessaloniki, citing concerns for his family’s safety, according to court officials. He was taken into police custody pending a decision on extradition by a panel of judges.

Polish police discovered the victim’s body on May 1 in shrubbery near railroad tracks in Mlawa, in northeastern Poland, ending a weeklong search that began after she went missing on April 23. The search operation involved drones and scent-tracking dogs.

The girl had told her mother she was meeting a friend who lived on a nearby street before she disappeared, police spokeswoman Katarzyna Kucharska said.

“We considered various scenarios — including the worst and most tragic possibility. Sadly, that’s the one that turned out to be true,” Kucharska said. “A breakthrough came on May 1, around 5 a.m., when a search-and-recovery dog led us to the location where officers discovered the body.”

Despite being a minor, the 17-year-old suspect could face murder charges involving excessive brutality under Polish law. Authorities in Poland have launched formal extradition proceedings to bring the suspect back to face charges.