Turkey's official forensic agency has concluded that 8-year-old Narin Güran, whose disappearance and death sparked nationwide outrage, was killed by suffocation.
The İstanbul Forensic Medicine Institute prepared a report based on the girl’s autopsy report and other available information, and sent it to the Diyarbakır Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, which conducts the investigation into the murder.
The report states that Güran died on Aug 21, the same day she went missing from her village in the southeastern province of Diyarbakır. Her body was found 19 days later dumped in a creek in a sack, hidden under branches and rocks.
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The report also revealed that the trauma that caused the amputation of Güran's leg below her left knee occurred after her death, likely inflicted by animals. The report concluded, "It has been unanimously considered that the child's death occurred due to asphyxiation caused by closing the mouth and nose and applying pressure to the neck."
With the available data, it was not possible to medically assess whether Narin Güran was subjected to sexual assault or not, according to the report.
The investigation into Güran's murder has gripped Turkey for weeks, sparking protests. Several of her relatives, including her uncle, mother and siblings, have been arrested in connection with the case. Uncle Salim Güran's associate, Nevzat Bahtiyar, confessed to hiding Narin's body in the creek near the family's home.
The Forensic Medicine Institute is still awaiting the results of an examination of bite marks found on the arm of Güran's older brother, Enes.
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(VK)