As the investigation into the deaths of three members of the Böcek family in İstanbul continues, authorities have sealed the hotel where they were staying and detained 11 individuals, Anadolu Agency reported.
The expat family, who were visiting Turkey from Germany, began experiencing health issues on Nov 12. Two children and their mother, Çiğdem Böcek, died the next day, while the father, Servet Böcek, remains in intensive care.
The investigation initially focused on suspected food poisoning. A restaurant where the family had dined was sealed, and a street vendor selling stuffed mussels was taken into custody.
However, tests have so far failed to confirm food poisoning as the definitive cause. The scope of the inquiry has since widened, and on Nov 14, the hotel where the family stayed was sealed after officials found that a recent pest control treatment had been carried out at the hotel. The fact that two other guests also showed signs of poisoning raised suspicions that the pesticide may be linked to the incident. They have no serious issues, İstanbul's provincial health director announced.
The investigation now includes all establishments the family came into contact with since their arrival in İstanbul, including the hotel, restaurants, and street vendors. Individuals taken in for questioning include the hotel owner, reception staff, the owner and employees of the pest control company, and food vendors such as a confectioner and kokoreç seller.
Authorities are awaiting toxicology reports from the Forensic Medicine Institute and food sample analyses from the Provincial Directorate of Agriculture to determine the exact cause of death.
Investigators track family’s meals
According to media reports citing police sources, investigators have identified what the Böcek family consumed on Nov 11, hour by hour. The review was later expanded to cover everything they ate between Nov 9 and 11.
The family arrived in Turkey via Sabiha Gökçen Airport at 16.40 on Nov 9. After checking into a hotel in the Fatih district, they had dinner at a nearby restaurant. Çiğdem and Servet Böcek ordered kebabs, while their children ate pasta.
The next morning, the parents had soup and the children ate pastries. That evening, they dined again in the same area; the adults had minced meat pita, while the children chose pizza with sausage and cheese.
On the morning of Nov 11, they had breakfast with simit and pastries bought by Servet Böcek. Around 16.00, the family visited Ortaköy and each ate one stuffed mussel from a street vendor near Ortaköy Mosque.
Later, they had soup at a restaurant on Dereboyu Avenue. The children were served sausage sandwiches, while the father ate kokoreç and his younger son reportedly took just one bite. Çiğdem Böcek ate chicken tantuni. They also bought Turkish delight from a shop in Fatih, which all family members consumed.
At 1.00 am on Nov 12, all family members woke up feeling nauseated. After waiting until morning, they went to the hospital, received IV fluids and probiotics, and returned to their hotel. They did not eat anything else for the rest of the day.
On the night of Nov 13, their condition worsened again, and an ambulance was called to the hotel. Soon after, Çiğdem Böcek and her two children died. (VK)
