15.03.2026 22:21
Citizens planting saplings in the garden of a site in the Körfez district of Kocaeli found a human skull and skeletal remains. After the bones were taken by police teams for examination, local residents stated that bone fragments continued to emerge in the area and expressed their concern, requesting a comprehensive excavation to be conducted in the area.
During the planting of saplings in the Güney neighborhood of Kocaeli's Körfez district, a resident named Gören Özbudak noticed bone fragments underground while arranging cables in the garden.
HE ENCOUNTERED A TERRIFYING SCENE WHEN HE STARTED DIGGING
Initially thinking it was animal bones, Özbudak was shocked to find a human skull when he started digging. Upon notification, police and crime scene investigation teams were dispatched to the location. In the work conducted by the teams in the area, a skull and skeletal fragments believed to belong to a person were discovered. After the examination by the public prosecutor, the bones were secured for further investigation. According to initial research, it was stated that there used to be an old cemetery in the area and that the bone fragments were assessed to belong to this cemetery.
"I THOUGHT IT WAS AN ANIMAL BONE AT FIRST"
Gören Özbudak, one of the residents, stated that bone fragments continue to emerge and that the neighborhood is anxious. He explained that they stumbled upon the bones while working in the garden, saying, "Yesterday, I planted saplings in the garden with a friend who lives in the site. We were going to fix the cable. At that moment, I noticed something. At first, I thought it was an animal bone, but when I looked with a stick, I saw it was a human skull. We informed the police. They came and took the skull. As residents of the site, we are anxious. The children are worried and cannot go outside. Women coming home from work at night are also afraid to look in this direction," he said.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD IS ANXIOUS
Özbudak, who stated that although the possibility of the area being an old cemetery in past years was considered in the initial examinations, they do not agree with this claim, said, "There are elderly people who used to live here. I am 51 years old, and I have never witnessed anything like this. I used to play around here in my childhood. The elderly people have not witnessed anything indicating there was a cemetery here. Besides the skull, body skeletons have also started to emerge. The neighborhood is anxious," he said.
The residents requested that authorities conduct a comprehensive excavation and investigation to alleviate the suspicions and fears.