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Police investigating drowning of football player George Baldock have recovered security cameras that show him swimming in the pool of his luxury apartment in Greece, stopping suddenly and then sinking.
The development came just hours after local media claimed in an unconfirmed report that Baldock had sent a message to a teammate saying he was “killing the vodka” and a bottle of spirits and a glass were found at the scene.
Sources say CCTV from a neighboring property captures half of the pool and shows him entering the water at around 6.45pm on Wednesday night – believed to be his son's first birthday – and he is seen swimming vigorously upwards. and down for ten minutes.
The clip, which was recovered by police after former Sheffield United defender Baldock was discovered in the pool at 10.30pm, is key to establishing what happened, although authorities are confident there was no foul play.
Baldock played for his new club Panathinakos on Sunday against rivals Olympiacos, and the game ended in a 0-0 draw as the former Primeira Liga player was substituted in the 75th minute.
The footballer moved to Greek club Panathinaikos in the summer and was found dead in their swimming pool on Wednesday.
Emergency services outside the home of British Panathinaikos and Greek defender George Baldock, where he was found dead, in the exclusive suburb of Glyfada
Baldock says goodbye to fans before the Premier League match between Sheffield United and Tottenham Hotspur at Bramall Lane in May, ahead of his move to Greece
It is understood he trained as normal with his team on Wednesday and then drove 21 kilometers from the session to his rented 15,000-euro-a-month ground-floor apartment in the upscale Athens suburb of Glyfada.
Police say his partner contacted the property manager – identified as Andreas Vlachopoulos – who went to the property and found Baldock lifeless in the pool with the owners.
On his Instagram, Vlachopoulos wrote: 'Being called into the office at 10pm by the owner of a property he rented and being the first to announce that his client was found dead in the pool at his house.
'There are no words for what I feel. I wish your family strength,' before adding a photo of Baldock.
George Baldock trained on the day he died and his teammates and staff gathered outside the villa where he was found dead yesterday
George Baldock in action on Sunday in the local derby with rivals Olympiacos
George was living in this property in the Greek capital after moving to club giants Panathinaikos
The scene today where former Sheffield United defender George Baldock was found dead in his swimming pool in Athens, Greece
Greek media also reported that Wednesday was Baldock's son's first birthday and that his partner – who has not yet been identified – called from Britain because she knew he would not want to miss the event.
It is understood that she asked the manager and owner to search the apartment and when they couldn't find him she asked them to check the pool and it was then that he was discovered.
The apartment owner dove into the pool and pulled him to the surface, where he performed CPR as paramedics rushed to the scene, but there was nothing that could be done and his body was later taken to a morgue.
An autopsy later confirmed he had drowned, but toxicology reports would not arrive for at least a week.
