The preliminary medical opinion regarding the mysterious death of the Böcek family in Istanbul has been submitted to the prosecutor's office.
Modern.az reports that the opinion emphasizes that phosphine gas was detected in samples taken from the hotel room where the family stayed, but no poison was found in the food consumed by the family.
Experts stated that phosphine (a highly toxic gas used in grain and pest fumigation) emerged as the main suspect in the family's death. The exact cause of death of the family will be determined by the final opinion.
It should be recalled that the 4-member Böcek family, who came from Germany to Istanbul for a holiday, went to the hospital on November 12 due to health problems and returned to the hotel on the same day. During the night, their condition worsened again, and although they were taken to the hospital, the children died on the same day, the mother the next day, and the father a few days later.
Since similar symptoms were observed in two other tourists staying in the same room at that hotel, they were also hospitalized. Following a police investigation, the hotel was temporarily closed.
Within the scope of the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, 11 people have been detained. Eight of them — the head and employees of the fumigation company, hotel staff, as well as nearby food vendors — were arrested by court order. As for the hotel owner, measures of “travel ban” and “house arrest” have been applied.
