Tragic Holiday Ends in Triple Death
A German family's dream holiday in Turkey turned into a nightmare when a mother and her two young children died from suspected poisoning at their hotel. The Böcek family from Hamburg fell ill during their stay in Istanbul, leading to a devastating outcome that has shocked the international community.
Timeline of the Tragedy
The family of four arrived in Istanbul on November 9 and checked into a hotel in the Fatih district. Shortly after their arrival, the entire family began experiencing severe nausea and vomiting, prompting their first hospital visit. After receiving initial treatment, medical staff discharged them, believing their condition had stabilized.
The situation took a tragic turn when the parents discovered their three-year-old daughter, Masal, lying motionless back at the hotel. An ambulance rushed the family to hospital for the second time, but despite doctors' best efforts, neither Masal nor her six-year-old brother, Kadir Muhammet, could be saved.
Their mother, 27-year-old Çiğdem Böcek, fought for her life in intensive care but succumbed to the poisoning on the morning of Friday, November 14. The children's father, 36-year-old Servet Böcek, remains hospitalized in critical condition, unconscious and requiring intubation.
Investigation and Aftermath
Authorities have launched a comprehensive investigation into the incident after two other tourists at the same hotel were hospitalized with similar symptoms. The building was immediately evacuated and sealed as a precautionary measure.
Investigators have taken four people from establishments where the Böcek family ate into custody, along with the hotel owner and representatives from a pest control company. The investigation has revealed that pest control treatments were recently conducted in a ground-floor room, and officials are examining the chemicals used during the process.
The two other affected tourists received treatment for nausea and vomiting and are no longer in danger. Meanwhile, Çiğdem and her children were laid to rest over the weekend in Bolvadin, Afyonkarahisar Province.
Servet's uncle, Recep Yılmaz, shared heartbreaking details with local media, revealing that Çiğdem had asked about her husband and children before her death, being told they were "fine" only to receive condolences two hours later. "My nephew is still fighting for his life," Yılmaz stated. "The guilty must be punished."
