18.01.2026 15:21
In the murder of Atlas Çağlayan, which has burned the heart of Turkey, the grieving mother Gülhan Ünlü said, "He wanted to be a healthcare worker to save people's lives. He even considered becoming an emergency medical technician. He got into that ambulance not to save lives, but to fight for his own life. They couldn't save my child; he couldn't even live for half an hour."
Mattia Ahmet Minguzzi, Ata Emre Akman, Hakan Çakır, Alperen Ömer Toprak, and Atlas Çağlayan (17) was the last straw. He was stabbed to death in the chest by 15-year-old E.Ç. during a fight that broke out in a café in Güngören, Istanbul, under the pretext of "looking sideways." While discussions about Children in Conflict with the Law (CCL) continue in the public, the grieving mother Gülhan Ünlü stated that her son wanted to be a healthcare worker.
"ATLAS WEIGHED 1 KILOGRAM 100 GRAMS AT BIRTH"
Mother Gülhan Ünlü said, "Atlas was born as a result of in vitro fertilization along with his twin Doruk. He weighed 1 kilogram 100 grams at birth. He spent a long time receiving treatment in intensive care. He managed to hold on to life. He was in the 2nd grade at a health and technology high school. At the same time, he was working hard for his dream of becoming a football player."
"MY SON GOT INTO THE AMBULANCE NOT TO SAVE LIVES BUT TO FIGHT FOR HIS OWN"
According to a report by Sabah; the grieving mother spoke about her son's future goals, saying, "He would have wanted to be a healthcare worker to save people's lives. He was even considering becoming an emergency medical technician. He was a very compassionate child. He got into the ambulance not to save lives but to fight for his own. But they couldn't save my baby. He couldn't even live for half an hour."
DEATH THREATS TO THE MOTHER
While the investigation is ongoing, it has emerged that threatening messages were sent to the grieving family of Atlas Çağlayan, who lost his life. Gülhan Ünlü, Çağlayan's mother, stated about the messages she received, "They said, 'We killed your son Atlas, now it's your turn. We will bury you next to your son.' I will not bow to these threats."
4 PEOPLE IN CUSTODY
After the incident, the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office took action and initiated an investigation regarding the messages. Within the scope of the investigation, instructions were given to the Istanbul Provincial Police Department to capture the individuals.
Following the death of Çağlayan, 3 suspects who allegedly made provocative posts on social media and 1 suspect who threatened mother Gülhan Çağlayan were taken into custody by the order of the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.
MURDER SUSPECT CHILD ADMITTED TO THE CRIME
On the other hand, the statement given by the suspect S.S.Ç. at the prosecutor's office has emerged. E.Ç., who stated that he was sitting in a café with his friends on the day of the incident, said, "I understood the accusation against me. On the day of the incident, I went to a café in Güngören with my friends A.H., A.H., S.Y., and Musa. While I was outside the café with my friends, Atlas Çağlayan, who I learned the name of as a result of the incident, came out of another group and cursed at me, saying 'what are you looking at' and approached me. I took out the knife I had and swung it. I stabbed him once in the stomach. After that, they laid the child on the ground, and his friends beat me and insulted me. I started to wait there. My friend A.H. told me to give him the knife, so I handed it to him. While A.H. was holding the knife, those in the café told him to drop it. A.H. dropped the knife. When the police arrived, they caught me in the café. They took the knife. I did not know Atlas Çağlayan before. I accept the accusations as I have explained them."