Three children, the oldest of which was 14, allegedly strangled to death and robbed an 80-year-old woman on the island of Salamina in the Saronic Gulf, police said yesterday.

The incident is alleged to have taken place on Wednesday when the children, three Gypsy brothers aged 14, 8 and 7, broke into the house of Malamatina Michalaki, who lived alone. Police said the boys strangled her before stealing 600 euros.

Michalaki’s sisters found her body, initially thinking she had died of natural causes but alerted authorities when they realized the house had been burgled.

Officers arrested the children yesterday morning after neighbors gave police a description of a boy they saw outside the woman’s house which matched the identity of the 14-year-old. The boys will be charged with murder in a juvenile court.

The children’s mother is currently serving time in jail, for drug offenses, according to police. The boys’ father is being treated in the hospital with heart problems.