The ministry intervened in the horror at the care center! The institution's lawyer defended the atrocity with these words.

The images of violence inflicted on 7-year-old disabled Bahar B. at a care center in Büyükçekmece had caused an uproar. Following the spread of the incident on social media, it was learned that the Ministry of Family and Social Services has initiated an investigation into the institution. Last January, it was claimed in some social media posts that 17-year-old H. T., who received support at the same care center, had died of starvation.

The incident occurred on Sunday, September 15, at a private care center located in Güzelce Neighborhood. According to allegations, care staff B. Y. and health staff G. B. T. tied the hands and feet of 7-year-old disabled Bahar B. to prevent her from harming herself at the care center where she received special support. During this time, one of the care home employees, F. B., recorded the images with a mobile phone. After the images spread on social media, the Ministry of Family and Social Services took action and initiated an investigation into the incident. In a statement made from the Ministry of Family and Social Services' social media account, it was stated that G. B. T. and B. Y., who subjected Bahar B. to ill-treatment, were dismissed by the care center. On the other hand, the management of the private care center filed a criminal complaint against the two staff members featured in the footage and the employee who recorded the video. According to the private care center's claim, it was learned that 7-year-old Bahar B., who was restrained to prevent her from harming herself, was with her family.

MINISTRY STATEMENT: A CRIMINAL COMPLAINT HAS BEEN FILED

In a statement regarding the matter, the Ministry of Family and Social Services said, "It has become necessary to make the following statement after images of ill-treatment towards a disabled individual at a private care center in Istanbul appeared in some media outlets. Following the incident that occurred at a private care home in Istanbul, teams affiliated with our Provincial Directorate promptly conducted inspections at the care center. The employment contracts of the two staff members featured in the footage have been terminated by the private care center. Our ministry has assigned inspectors for a detailed examination of the private care center where the incident took place, and a criminal complaint has been filed with the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the individuals involved. As a ministry, we will closely monitor the legal process to ensure that those responsible for negligence in this incident receive the harshest penalties."

PRIVATE CARE CENTER LAWYER: IT IS CLEAR THAT THE INSTITUTION IS NOT AT FAULT

Regarding the issue, private care center lawyer Beytullah Duymaz stated, "Recently, there have been false, misleading, and defamatory publications against our institution in the media and some press organizations, the reasons for which we do not know. These publications, made without investigating the truth and without obtaining information from our institution, cannot be legally or morally justified. Unfortunately, all these publications have been made with prejudice, without requesting information and documents from us. The disabled individual H. T. passed away 1 year and 9 months ago, on January 25, 2023. He stayed in our institution for a total of 25 days. During this period, the family was informed and he was repeatedly taken to the hospital for treatment. The injuries mentioned were present in the acceptance document of the institution, with the family's acknowledgment and signature. The forensic report regarding the individual's death clearly states that the cause of death was due to pneumonia, contrary to the allegations. Contrary to the misleading statements of the opposing party's lawyer, there is no document or statement anywhere indicating that he died of starvation. It is clear that there was no fault on the part of the institution in the ministry's investigations. Some individuals working in our institution have turned their personal grudges and interests against our institution into illegal records, which they have provided to media organizations; this has led to our institution being defamed without any questioning of the beginning and end of these organizations' comments."

"WHILE RESTRAINING TO PREVENT HER FROM HARMING HERSELF."

Lawyer Duymaz stated, "If sufficient and necessary investigations had been conducted by some media organizations regarding this issue; they would have been aware of what actions disabled and retarded individuals might take during a crisis, such as harming themselves by hitting their heads against the wall. Therefore, based on this, they could have understood that making an ambiguous publication without researching the beginning and end would distort the facts and unjustly disturb the public conscience. Additionally, we would like to inform you that a criminal complaint has been filed with the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against the organizations that made these false publications and the individuals who facilitated these publications. Making such publications without waiting for the outcome of the investigation and before the relevant investigation is concluded is nothing but a violation of press freedom and the provisions of the Personal Data Protection Law. In a 19-second video published by some media organizations, it was attempted to create the impression that the care staff B. Y. and health staff G. B. T. were harshly intervening with disabled individual Bahar B. while restraining her to prevent her from harming herself during a crisis."

"THE INSPECTORATE'S INVESTIGATION CONTINUES"

Duymaz continued in his statement, "The Ministry of Family and Social Services has been promptly informed about the issue, and the statements of the relevant personnel have been taken; their situations have been evaluated with our institution, and a criminal complaint has been filed with the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against all involved."

It is announced to the public that legal action has been taken regarding the incident involving the personnel named F. B., who was reported to have worked at our institution for only 1 week and left, as he did not inform the responsible manager about the incident and caused these events to occur. As stated in the press release made by the Ministry, an inspector's examination is still ongoing at our institution. We also advise the organizations that published this to understand what our disabled child can do during a crisis, what harm he can cause to himself, and that we have recordings taken by our institution through legal means, and after reviewing these recordings, we recommend that they make the necessary explanations and conduct a moral accounting on this matter," it was stated.

CLAIM THAT A DISABLED INDIVIDUAL DIED OF HUNGER

In January of last year, it was claimed on social media that 17-year-old H. T., who received support at the same care center, died of hunger. The private care center's lawyer, Beytullah Duymaz, made a statement regarding this issue, saying, "The disabled individual H. T. passed away 1 year and 9 months ago, on January 25, 2023. He stayed at our institution for a total of 25 days. During this process, the family was informed and he was repeatedly taken to the hospital for treatment. It is documented in the acceptance form of the institution, with the family's acknowledgment and signature, that the individual had the specified wounds when he arrived at the institution. The forensic report regarding the individual's death clearly states the cause of death, contrary to the allegations. There is no document or statement anywhere indicating that he died of hunger, contrary to the misleading statements of the opposing party's lawyer." he said.