20.06.2025 18:32
In the case regarding the murder of 4-year-old Melike Eşiyok, whose body was found in the Sazlıbosna Dam 6 years ago, a verdict has been announced. The court decided to sentence father Cahit Eşiyok and stepmother Zehra Öztürker to aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of "deliberately killing with monstrous feelings by torturing the child." Furthermore, horrifying details about Melike's death were included in the indictment.
In the case regarding the murder of 4-year-old Melike Eşiyok, whose body was found 6 years ago at the Arnavutköy Sazlıbosna Dam, a verdict has been announced for the biological father, mother, and stepmother who are on trial. The hearing, held at the Bakırköy 18th High Criminal Court, saw the detained defendant Zehra Öztürker present. The detained defendant father, Cahit Eşiyok, participated via the SEGBİS system, while the lawyers of both parties were also present in the courtroom.
THEY DENIED THE CHARGES When asked for her final words, stepmother Zehra Öztürker said, "I am innocent. I did not do anything. Cahit is the one who beat and did everything. I did not kill Melike." Father Cahit Eşiyok stated, "I am here for a crime I did not commit. I am being tried. We told everything we experienced as it was. The deceased is my daughter, my beloved. I am being tried for a crime I could never commit. I request my release."
HEAVY AGGRAVATED LIFE IMPRISONMENT FOR FATHER AND STEPMOTHER The court announced its decision, sentencing father Cahit Eşiyok and stepmother Zehra Öztürker to heavy aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of "deliberately killing with monstrous feelings by torturing a child." The court ruled for the acquittal of biological mother Meryem Ataman due to lack of evidence.
FROM THE INDICTMENT The indictment prepared by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office stated that on April 15, 2018, a naked girl’s body wrapped in a blanket was found by fishermen in the Sazlıbosna Dam Lake, but due to the inability to identify the body, the investigation was transferred to the Permanent Search Bureau.
6 YEARS AFTER HER DEATH, SIBLINGS TOLD THEIR TEACHERS Six years after the death of 4-year-old Melike Eşiyok, her siblings E. and H. told their teachers at school that Melike was killed by their father and the woman he was in a relationship with, as stated in the indictment. Additionally, it was noted in the indictment that the children H. and E. Eşiyok were placed under the protection of the Ministry of Family and Social Policies.
"IF OUR FEET TOUCHED THE GROUND, WE WERE HIT WITH A HAMMER" In their statements, H. and E. said, "When our father Cahit separated from our mother Meryem, our stepmother Zehra came to our house. Our stepmother and father tortured Melike and us. They constantly beat Melike. They left us and Melike hungry and thirsty. They punished us for wetting ourselves by making us stand on one foot. Our stepmother would hit us with a hammer if our feet touched the ground. On rainy days, she would take us and Melike outside and watch us get wet while she drank tea inside. They kept Melike constantly hungry, so she became skin and bones. Our father tied Melike to the radiator. The next day, our father Cahit and our stepmother Zehra went shopping. They bought ice, plastic, and an axe. Our father and stepmother killed Melike. Our father put Melike in a bag and then put that bag in a sack. We got in the car. When we asked questions, he said, 'I will throw you to the street dogs.' Zehra left us hungry and thirsty for days. She tortured us by spraying us with pressurized water. Then one day, our father and stepmother argued. Zehra left the house," as stated in the indictment.
"ZEHRA IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MELİKE'S DEATH" The indictment also stated that the children's statements taken in the presence of a social worker were deemed credible. Father Cahit Eşiyok, in his statement included in the indictment, said, "I divorced my wife Meryem in 2017. I retained custody of my children Melike, H., and E. Later, I met Zehra Öztürker and we started living together. Zehra would constantly beat the children because she was a meticulous person. The violence Zehra inflicted on the children increased day by day. She would say to Melike, 'You look at me like a devil, like your mother.' On April 2, 2018, Zehra called me. 'Melike is not breathing, come home,' she said. When I got home, Melike's hands and feet were cold. When I suggested we take her to the hospital, Zehra said, 'She has bruises on her body, if we take her, they will put us both in jail.' I asked how the incident happened. Zehra told me, 'Melike asked for water. When she started coughing while drinking, I hit her on the back because the water went down the wrong way. When she stopped breathing, I called you.' When I asked, 'What will we do?' Zehra said, 'Let's throw her in the sea.' We rented a car. We put Melike in the car. First, we tried to bury her in the cemetery, but we couldn't find a suitable place. We threw her into the Sazlıbosna Dam Lake with stones. Later, we separated from Zehra. I got back together with my ex-wife Meryem and we continued our lives. Zehra is responsible for Melike's death," he said.
"MY PSYCHOLOGY WAS AFFECTED, I LEFT THE HOUSE" Stepmother Zehra Öztürker, in her statement, said, "Cahit was beating the children. When I warned him about this, he would say, 'Don't interfere, they are my children.' He would constantly beat the children with a rolling pin. The day before Melike died, she had a fever. I gave her fever-reducing syrup. Because she had a fever and wounds, she slept in a different room away from her siblings. On the day of the incident, Cahit locked Melike in the room. Then I checked on her. I said she was ice cold and not breathing. Cahit told me, 'I will handle it, don't call the police or ambulance.' I said, 'Let's tell the police everything.' He told me, 'You are the stepmother, there are marks on Melike, they won't believe us.' Out of fear of going to jail and being threatened, I remained silent. That day, Melike stayed in the room until the evening. Cahit took Melike to the bathroom, washed her, and shrouded her. Then Cahit put Melike in the car. When I asked him the next day what he did, he said, 'I threw her in the sea.' After this incident, my psychology was affected, and I left the house. I do not accept the charges," she stated.
"I FEARED MY LIVING CHILDREN AND MYSELF WOULD MEET THE SAME FATE" The biological mother of the children, Meryem Ataman, stated, "I left the house after Cahit had a romantic relationship with Zehra while we were married.
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After the divorce, the custody of the children remained with Cahit. During the time we were apart, he did not show the children. Cahit was constantly sending me photos of my children H. and E., but he was not sending photos of Melike. When I asked, he kept saying things like 'she's sleeping, she's in the bathroom.' Then Cahit convinced me to return home. When I got home, he said that Melike had died. Cahit and Zehra did not inform the police and health teams because they were afraid. We started living together again, and we had another child. My children told me that Cahit and Zehra killed Melike. I was afraid that my living children and I would meet the same fate, so I didn't tell anyone. I have no information about my child's death," he said.
"THEY TORTURED MELİKE" In the indictment, it was stated that the children H., E., and Melike were subjected to mistreatment and torture by their father Cahit and stepmother Zehra, including being beaten with a rolling pin, being punished to stand on one leg, being sprayed with pressurized water, and being left hungry and thirsty. The indictment further stated, "After Melike experienced a crisis, she urinated on herself, and in response, Cahit and Zehra reacted to Melike more violently, increasing the level of torture, and thus they tortured Melike by leaving her hungry and thirsty. It was understood that Cahit and Zehra started with physical assault on Melike and continued to show all kinds of violence."
"THEY HAD A NEW GIRL CHILD TO HIDE THE DEATH" The indictment explained that the defendants Cahit and Zehra, in a state of agreement and action, killed Melike by beating and torturing her and threw her body wrapped in a sheet into the Sazlıbosna Dam Lake. It was recorded in the indictment that Melike's biological mother, defendant Meryem, learned that Melike had been killed and thrown into the lake when she returned home, and that she did not report the death to the authorities based on the agreement she made with Cahit, and that to hide Melike's death, she and Cahit had a new girl child and wanted the newborn to be known as Melike Eşiyok.
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