The first hearing in the case of Uğur Yıldırım, an autistic child who died under suspicious circumstances on Oct 22, 2024 while staying at a care center in İstanbul, will be held at the 18th Heavy Penal Court at the Bakırköy Courthouse.
Following an investigation by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, charges have been filed against staff members of the Mor Menekşe Care Center for “killing with probable intent,” “intentional injury,” and “failure to report a crime.”
No arrests made
Selma Yıldız, the lawyer representing Uğur Yıldırım’s mother Dilek Barut, told bianet that the forensic report listed the cause of death as “drug intoxication.” According to the report, Yıldırım was given approximately 30 times the normal dose of his prescribed medication.
Yıldız noted that bruises and marks from being restrained were found on Yıldırım’s body. Staff members present at the care center on the day of the incident are accused of “intentional injury” for allegedly dragging Yıldırım on the floor and beating him in areas not covered by surveillance cameras.
Person with autism tied up in care home's garden
Other staff who failed to intervene are facing charges for “failing to report a crime.”
Despite the case file also including charges of “aggravated intentional killing,” no suspects have been taken into custody, Yıldız noted.
“Crimes of intentional injury and killing committed against a person who is physically and mentally unable to defend themselves already constitute aggravated offenses," she said. "The fact that no suspects have been arrested is legally unacceptable.”
Violence against two people with autism in care and rehabilitation center
‘We will be the voice of Uğur’
Yıldız emphasized that their priority is to reveal the severity of the defendants’ actions and ensure that they are tried in detention, adding that this is crucial for both public conscience and a sense of justice.
She also stressed the importance of uncovering the alleged abuse and violence suffered by Yıldırım, who had difficulty expressing and defending himself throughout his life.
“We want to be Uğur’s voice in the upcoming legal process and ensure justice in his name. We are also demanding exemplary heavy penalties to prevent similar practices in the system and to act as a deterrent,” she said.
Yıldız pointed out that just two days after Yıldırım’s death, another resident of the same care center, Furkan Satıcı, also died. She argued that these deaths reveal the urgent need for stricter oversight of care facilities.
‘Investigate the torture of person with autism’
‘He tried to leave the room but was dragged back inside’
The indictment includes a camera review report prepared by units affiliated with the İstanbul Governor’s Office.
The report states that several staff members were present on the floor at the time of the incident. Surveillance footage showed Yıldırım being pushed or pulled into his room, seen flailing on the corridor floor, and getting into physical altercations with staff members. In his final moments, he was seen trying to exit the room multiple times, only to be dragged back inside.
It was also noted that staff testimonies contradicted the footage, and despite claims of “agitated/aggressive behavior,” no clear signs of aggression were visible in the recordings.
Autistic teen dies in İstanbul care home, family alleges negligence
More than 100 cases of neglect and abuse
The camera analysis report identified over 100 instances of neglect and abuse involving 62 residents with disabilities and highlighted severe shortcomings in oversight.
The indictment lists the following individuals as suspects: care staff Y.E.E. and M.Ö.T., administrative director A.Y., healthcare worker S.T., social services specialist Y.E., cleaning staff T.Ö., and caregivers B.G. and A.G. The recorded actions attributed to them include:
Choking, forcing to the ground, dragging on the floor, locking in rooms, slapping and punching, making threats
Scaring residents by putting masks on their faces, mocking them while filming videos
Failing to intervene in prolonged violence between residents, beating with a hammer
Ignoring physically and sexually risky behavior among residents
Failing to intervene when residents were left naked or injured
Not responding to epileptic seizures experienced by residents on the floor
Spitting on residents, allowing them to give each other medication
Preventing residents from eating
Covering a resident’s face by pulling a sock over their head
Leaving a young child who fell from a crib lying on the floor for minutes
Forcing medication by pinning the resident to the floor and sitting on them
Avoiding security cameras during acts of violence
Failing to prevent a resident from consuming another resident’s feces in a shared area
Who is responsible?
In Turkey, the oversight of care centers for people with disabilities is regulated under the “Regulation on Private Care Centers for Persons with Disabilities,” the “Social Services Law,” and the “United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).” According to these regulations, care centers must be inspected by provincial directorates affiliated with the Family and Social Services Ministry. (NÖ/VK)
