Baby entrusted to Adonis Demiri before killing, Zymberi explains procedure followed by social work centre

Mursel Zymberi, director of the Centre for Social Work in Gjilan, has explained that Adonis Demiri’s request to take his three-month-old daughter into his care was assessed solely on the basis of his status as her biological parent. The baby had been abandoned by her mother at Gjilan Hospital.

His explanation follows confirmation provided to Dukagjini by the Basic Court in Gjilan of Demiri’s previous conviction for threatening his fiancée. Adonis Demiri, 27, was killed on November 1 in the village of Demiraj, along with his three-month-old daughter.

Speaking on Debat Plus, Zymberi said Demiri had submitted a written request to assume parental care. He had come to the Centre for Social Work accompanied by both his parents and his sister. According to the director, no signs of distress or mental disorder were observed during that meeting. Zymberi added that the institution had no records indicating such problems and that Demiri had appeared to be in a normal state.

The director also clarified that a biological parent assuming parental care does not follow the same procedure as adoption or guardianship. In this case, he stressed, Adonis had asked to care for his own child. According to Zymberi, the Centre for Social Work does not have a database to check whether someone has been involved in crimes of any kind.

The court’s response states that, on June 17, 2026, the Kamenica branch of the Basic Court in Gjilan sentenced Demiri to six months in prison for making threats. With his consent, the sentence was converted into a fine of 1,800 euros.

The court also said that, in April 2026, Demiri had spent two months at the Institute of Forensic Psychiatry in Prishtina on suspicion of having used cocaine. According to the court, his referral to the institute had been recommended by the psychiatric expert because of his addiction to narcotic substances.

In addition, under the legal provisions applicable to offenders with mental disorders, the court had ordered him to undergo mandatory outpatient psychiatric treatment.

Zymberi was also asked whether he had considered resigning following the incident. He replied that he had not considered such a step.

Regarding the double killing in Demiraj, the prosecution’s case file links the suspected circumstances surrounding the deaths of Adonis Demiri and his baby to a family dispute. His father, B.D., has been remanded in custody for one month on suspicion of aggravated murder.