A two-year-old baby who was sexually abused in Tekirdağ, northwestern Turkey, has died after spending weeks in a coma.
Sıla Yeniçeri was taken to the hospital on Sep 8 in the Malkara district by her mother, identified as B.Y., who said her daughter was unresponsive.
Following an initial examination at the Malkara State Hospital, the toddler was suspected to have been sexually abused and diagnosed with a brain hemorrhage, leading to her transfer to Tekirdağ Dr. İsmail Fehmi Cumalıoğlu City Hospital. Doctors at this hospital confirmed the initial suspicion of sexual abuse.
After undergoing brain surgery, Yeniçeri was placed in intensive care and remained on a ventilator.
As part of the investigation, five individuals were taken into custody: Yeniçeri’s mother, B.Y. (25); B.Y.'s partner, S.Ö. (57); their neighbor, K.A. (32); K.A.'s 13-year-old son, and another boy identified as G.K. (14). All five suspects were arrested following a court appearance. Yeniçeri's 5-year-old sibling, A.Y., was placed under state protection.
Toddler in critical condition following sexual abuse in Tekirdağ, five arrested
The head of the Tekirdağ Bar Association, Egemen Gürcün, confirmed that a forensic report had revealed evidence of sexual abuse during the young woman’s treatment in the hospital.
At the time of the incident, Gürcün highlighted the prevalence of child abuse cases in the region, citing 283 requests for lawyers in child abuse cases from the bar association in 2023 alone, with 172 requests so far in 2024. (VK)