09.12.2025 14:01
In Adana, a baby born to Melek Sert when she was 5 months pregnant was reported as "dead," and a death certificate was prepared. However, during the burial process, it was discovered that the baby was alive as it cried. The baby lost its battle for life after a week in intensive care, and the family filed a complaint against the hospital. When the prosecutor's office decided not to pursue the case due to a lack of negligence, the family appealed the decision.
Melek Sert (37), who resides in the Yüreğir district of Adana, applied to Yüreğir State Hospital on December 27, 2021, with complaints of pain and bleeding while she was 5 months pregnant. After being treated for a while, Sert was discharged on December 30. When she fell ill again the next day, she was taken to the Marsa Women's Health and Diseases Additional Service Building.
SHE GAVE BIRTH AT 5 MONTHS, IT WAS SAID THE BABY DIED
Melek Sert's condition worsened at 12:40 PM on January 2. It was reported that Sert had a miscarriage, and her 5-month-old baby was delivered via normal birth. The couple, Melek and Hasan Sert, who have two children, experienced great sadness upon receiving the news that their baby had died. A death certificate was issued for the baby boy, and after the embalming process, he was handed over to the family.
HE STARTED TO CRY WHILE BEING TAKEN TO THE CEMETERY
Hasan Sert, who was taking his baby's funeral to the Herekli Neighborhood Cemetery, heard a crying sound on the way. When he opened the shroud, he realized that his baby's heart was beating and he was crying. Sert called an ambulance. The baby, who was determined to be alive, was taken to Adana City Training and Research Hospital for intensive care.
THE BABY LOST HIS FIGHT FOR LIFE AFTER 1 WEEK
The baby, who fought for his life for 7 days, passed away here. After the incident, the family filed a complaint with the prosecutor's office against the hospital that issued the death certificate.
PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE DECIDED NOT TO PURSUE
After the investigation, the prosecutor's office decided not to pursue the case, stating that there was no negligence on the part of the doctor or the hospital. The Sert family appealed the decision.
"DOCTORS SAID 'NERVE REFLEX' AND COMPARED MY CHILD TO A SHEEP"
Hasan Sert, who recounted the process of taking his child from the cemetery and bringing him back to the hospital, said, "The first thing the doctors said was that the child was crying due to a nerve reflex. They gave me the example of a sheep. They said, 'A sheep shows nerve reflex for up to 2 hours after being slaughtered,' comparing my child to this example. I insisted that the child was crying, and when I pressed the doctors, they performed a heart and pulse test. When it was noticed that he was alive during the test, he was taken under treatment. However, his life was only a week long, and then he passed away," he said.
"WE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND THE DECISION NOT TO PURSUE"
Sert stated that they filed a complaint on the grounds of negligence by the doctors and the hospital, saying, "We couldn't understand how those who said the living baby was 'dead' could be deemed to have 'no negligence.' I appealed the decision not to pursue. According to the procedure, if a child is born under 20 weeks or weighs less than 400 grams, it is accepted that there is no chance of survival, and they can be handed over to the family. However, after our research, we learned that even if our child was below 400 grams or under 20 weeks, his heartbeat should have been monitored, and we filed a complaint, but our prosecutor decided not to pursue the case," he said.
"IF HE HADN'T DIED, HE WOULD BE 3 YEARS OLD NOW"
Sert said, "My child was alive at birth, but they issued a death certificate without realizing it and handed him over. If he had been noticed and taken to an incubator, he might have survived. If he hadn't died, he would be 3 years old now. How correct is it to think that there was no negligence on the part of the healthcare personnel who did not check whether the baby was alive or not at birth or did not realize he was alive? I appealed the decision not to pursue and filed a complaint again. I want the personnel I believe to be negligent to be punished," he said.