24.04.2025 18:10
In the "Newborn Gang" case, 58 defendants, 29 of whom are in custody, appeared before the judge for the fourth time. A paramedic working at the First Hospital stated, "The baby deteriorated close to the delivery time. We were told that no intervention should be made, but we did it anyway. Money was taken from the family, but it was said, 'The money should be delivered to the family the next day.'"
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The case known to the public as the "Newborn Gang" has seen the fourth appearance of 58 defendants, 29 of whom are in custody, who are accused of causing the deaths of many babies by transferring emergency infant patients to the newborn units of private hospitals they had previously agreed upon, and of making unjust profits. The hearing, held at the 22nd Heavy Penal Court in Bakırköy Courthouse, started today around 11:00. The 6.2 magnitude earthquake that occurred yesterday off the coast of Silivri in the Sea of Marmara was also on the court's agenda.
WARNING FROM THE COURT PRESIDENT ABOUT THE "EARTHQUAKE"
Before the hearing where witnesses were heard, a warning about aftershocks came from the court president. Prior to the hearing, the court president said, "I want to make a warning after the earthquake that occurred on April 23. Aftershocks are continuing, in case of a situation, do not panic. There should be no commotion; you can hide under chairs and tables. Please do not harm each other while trying to escape."
"THE DOCTOR SAYS, THE SECRETARY WRITES THE EPICRISIS"
In the hearing where witnesses were heard, the first witness, Fulya Akbal, who worked as a nurse at Avcılar Hospital, was heard. Akbal stated, "I was working at Avcılar Hospital. I worked in the neonatal intensive care unit as a nurse for 2 years. During my time there, I know nurse Serenay Şenkalay, doctors Dursun Hoca, Zeki Hoca, and secretary Gözde Hanım. I was not in the hospital when baby Tokluoğlu was born on August 14; I was on leave. Also, the doctor would write the epicrisis with the secretary. I have never seen anyone else write an epicrisis. The doctor says, the secretary writes the epicrisis. It was not possible for the secretary to write anything other than what the doctor said," she said.
"THEY TOOK THE BIG BABIES TO INTENSIVE CARE, I COMPLAINED TO CIMER"
Another witness, Sezgin Demirci, stated, "I worked as an emergency physician at Reyap Hospital between March 2023 and September 2023. In September, I was asked to leave by the management. During my time there, the 112 teams would bring babies older than 28 days. I complained to CIMER. If something happened when I took these babies to the neonatal intensive care unit, I would be responsible. Because there was a neonatal intensive care unit, but there was no pediatric intensive care unit. We should place babies older than 28 days in pediatric intensive care; putting them in neonatal care would put other patients at risk. However, there were hospitals with pediatric intensive care rooms in nearby areas. When I complained to the management, they told me to 'close this issue.' They mobbed me. So, I resigned," he said.
Meryem Akyürek, a duty nurse working at Avcılar Hospital, said, "I have no information about baby Tokluoğlu. I was on annual leave at that time. I was working in the baby room. After that, I did not hear anything. I did not encounter any negligence while working with doctor Zeki. He would come immediately when I called him," she said. The hearing resumed at 16:00 after a break given around 15:00.
"THIS PATIENT WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE"
After the break, doctor Raşit Çaparoğlu, who works at Beylikdüzü Medilife Hospital, took the floor. Çaparoğlu said, "Regarding baby Opara, one day when I came to work, I saw a 6-month-old baby lying there. Babies older than 28 days should not lie here. I was surprised and told the nurse, 'It is not legal for them to lie here.' A few days ago, I was told that the baby had come to the emergency room but could not be transferred, so it was lying here. It was said that the decision for its admission was made in cooperation with the management and the operator. The person taking care of this baby was Fırat Sarı. This patient was an extraordinary case. I did not get involved due to the nature of my profession while I was there," he said.
"IT WAS SAID THAT NO INTERVENTION SHOULD BE MADE ON BABY OPARA"
Yaren Sena Kayır, who works as a paramedic at First Hospital, said, "The transfer of baby Opara was made. We took care of him in the incubator. Mr. Doğukan came and spoke with Fırat Sarı, and we received an order for his treatment. It became evening, and we handed over the baby's care to the evening supervisor. The next day, around 18:00, I went to the hospital. I went directly to him; he was healthy, there was no problem. He deteriorated close to the handover time. The monitor gave a warning; we could not feel his heartbeat. We called Mr. Doğukan; he said, 'There is no problem; you may not hear it in a big baby.' Our monitors were old; we needed a probe, but there was not enough probe in the hospital. Nurse Tuğçe performed CPR. We all intervened at the baby's head. When we handed him over, the baby was alive; however, the pulse was very faint. Later, we learned that the baby had died. Mr. Doğukan told us, 'You may not hear it.' We were told that no intervention should be made, but we girls still performed all interventions. Money was taken from the family, but it was said, 'The money should be delivered to the family the next day.' I have no other information regarding the matter. Doctors generally did not go on rounds regularly," she said.
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