05.11.2026 12:41
In Kahramanmaraş in 2021, nurse Hazel Dırık Bağrıyanık, who was captured on security camera beating Deniz Esin Bozoklar, who was in an incubator in the neonatal intensive care unit, during a blood draw, was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in prison for intentionally injuring her in a way that caused a bone fracture by abusing public duty. The court did not apply a discretionary reduction because it could not establish sincere remorse and decided that her detention should continue.
In KAHRAMANMARAŞ, nurse Hazel Dırık Bağrıyanık (33), who was tried while detained on allegations that she caused Deniz Esin Bozoklar (5), who was in an incubator 5 years ago, to remain mentally and physically disabled by subjecting her to violence, was sentenced to 5 years and 10 months in prison.
SHE STRUCK THE BABY WHILE TRYING TO TAKE BLOOD
The incident occurred in 2021 in the neonatal intensive care unit of Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University Health Practice and Research Hospital. The daughter of the Abdullah-Sema Bozoklar couple, Deniz Esin Bozoklar, who was born at a low weight, was placed in an incubator. On May 26, 2021, while on-duty nurse Hazel Dırık Bağrıyanık was trying to take blood, the baby became fussy. Thereupon, Bağrıyanık began to hit Deniz Esin Bozoklar. During the 14-minute blood procedure, Bağrıyanık frequently struck the baby's head and squeezed her leg, and according to the allegation, broke the baby's leg in the process. Those moments were also recorded by a security camera.
The violence inflicted on the baby was noticed 5 days later, on May 31, 2021, by another nurse. Thereupon, while the hospital terminated Hazel Dırık Bağrıyanık's contract, at the end of the judicial investigation, a case was filed at the Kahramanmaraş 10th Criminal Court of First Instance with a request for up to 3 years in prison on the charge of intentional injury. The decision was issued at the 15th hearing of the case. While the parties' lawyers attended the hearing, Hazel Dırık Bağrıyanık was connected to the courtroom via the SEGBİS system from the prison where she was detained. Bağrıyanık stated that she repeated her previous defenses and requested her acquittal.
Then the public prosecutor submitted his opinion on the merits. In his opinion, the prosecutor stated that, when the camera recordings, forensic medical reports and the scope of the file were evaluated together, it was established that Hazel Dırık Bağrıyanık had committed the crime of intentional injury, and therefore she should be punished with 3 years in prison; he requested that the sentence be increased because she committed her crime by abusing her public duty, with a weapon, against a person who could not defend herself physically or mentally, and as a result a bone fracture occurred.
'I APOLOGIZE TO HER FAMILY AND THE TURKISH NATION'
Hazel Dırık Bağrıyanık stated that she did not accept the opinion and said that, in the reports received, there was no causal link between Deniz Esin Bozoklar remaining disabled and her act. Bağrıyanık said, "First of all, I am very regretful for what I did, and this regret will continue for a lifetime. For what I did, I apologize to Deniz Esin Bozoklar, her family, my own family, my colleagues and the Turkish nation. Believe me, I do not know how I carried out this act. My only aim was to take blood from the baby. I have been detained for 10 months. I have also served the sentence requested by the prosecutor. Therefore, I request my acquittal and release."
THE JUDGE DID NOT MAKE A DISCRETIONARY REDUCTION
At the end of the hearing, the judge sentenced Hazel Dırık Bağrıyanık to 5 years and 10 months in prison for the crime of 'intentionally injuring a person who could not defend herself physically or mentally by abusing her public duty in a manner that causes a bone fracture.' The judge also did not make a discretionary reduction in the sentence on the grounds that no sincere and serious remorse of the defendant could be established, and decided that Hazel Dırık Bağrıyanık's detention should continue.