We don’t expect any legal issues since the family is Syrian”: A Turkish network in Istanbul forces families to place infants in incubators to make money
Led by Turkish doctor Fırat Sarı, a network of doctors, nurses, and ambulance drivers, has been accused of systematically admitting newborns into incubators for extended periods, even when their health did not require it. The scheme, allegedly driven by financial motives, exploited vulnerable families, unnecessarily prolonging the infants’ time in intensive care.
The recently uncovered case has shed light on a money-making scheme that amassed millions of Turkish lira. According to Turkey’s Anadolu Agency, hundreds of babies have died as a result of being placed in incubators in private hospitals, where they were kept for extended periods, exposing them to infections that led to their deaths. Among these infants were Syrian children.
The case was uncovered through communications revealing that those involved worked in the emergency reception department and various private hospitals. They played a role in transferring newborn infants to incubators and intensive care units in privately rented hospitals, which were leased by Dr. Farhat. It is noted that the daily cost for such services amounts to approximately 8,000 Turkish Lira (around $235).
To date, 22 individuals have been arrested and 9 private hospitals in Istanbul have been closed, while Turkish authorities continue their investigations.
Authorities have closed the cosmetic surgery hospital owned by Dr. Farhat, “Medisense,” located in the Esenyurt district of Istanbul.
The hospitals mentioned in the investigation include Riyab Hospital, Beylikdüzü Medi Life Hospital, Bağcılar Medi Life Hospital, TRG Hospital, Avcılar Hospital, and Birinci Hospital.
Some of these hospitals have been shut down, including Riyab Hospital, which was classified by the Ministry of Health as a “child-friendly hospital.”
One of the victim’s mothers posted a photo of the report submitted by the hospital on platform X, indicating that the cause of her infant’s death was classified as “natural.”
In a separate tweet, she asks, “Did my son die due to negligence? Was my son murdered while I believed he died of natural causes for years? Who will ease the pain inside me? Who will cleanse me of these thoughts? Who will give me the answers to this?”
Mocking the deaths of children: Shocking messages exchanged among network members
The investigations revealed conversations among network members, one of which describes the death of an infant. In the message, a member states, “We saw him in the morning; he was crying like an animal. Well, he looked bad.”
The investigation revealed conversations between gang members discussing an inspection committee that caught them off guard during their operations.
First Member: They’ve come; it seems this child was flagged in the system.
Second Member: I had three boxes of files here, and luckily, they didn’t notice them.
First Member: This isn’t normal; I’ve worked for fifteen years, and I’ve never experienced such an inspection in my life.
Second Member: Do you think they came for Farhat’s operations?
First Member: I don’t think so. Farhat isn’t an important person. They wouldn’t conduct such a coordinated operation in Istanbul.
The indictment also included conversations between nurse Çağla Dormuş and Dr. Elker Günin regarding a child who lost his life. The dialogue went as follows:
Nurse: Doctor, the child has died. Currently, the heart rate is eighty, and oxygen saturation is thirty, but that’s due to the adrenaline.
Doctor: Due to the adrenaline? Well, there’s nothing we can do.
Nurse: Exactly; signs of death and bruising are starting to show.
Doctor: Okay.
Nurse: We informed the family that his condition worsened, and now I’ve closed the incubator until the adrenaline wears off. We’ll consider him deceased soon.
Doctor: Haha, I was going to say something, but…
The indictment also included discussions about not intervening in the case of a sick child, as follows:
Suspect İgme Koç: Oh, you’re coming? Alright, we’re not touching anything right now; the child is connected to the machine.
Suspect Fırat Sari: Don’t touch anything, and don’t provide any information; leave it as it is.
Suspect İgme Koç: Exactly; everything is open on the machine; everything is visible on the screen… We’re not doing anything.
The indictment detailed conversations about not intervening in another sick child’s case:
Suspect Hakan Doğukan Taşcı: My friend, the situation was bad; I was going to say that a child was dying. I was going to sneak in to perform CPR for two minutes, but…
Suspect Hüseyin Günerhan: Where?
Suspect Hakan Doğukan Taşcı: In the south.
Suspect Hüseyin Günerhan: What’s that to us in the south? Let the child die so we can file a complaint easily…
Suspect Hakan Doğukan Taşcı: The doctor said if his condition worsens, pull the tube; he said he won’t survive.
In another conversation, they expressed not expecting any legal issues because the family is Syrian.
In another discussion regarding a case reported by someone named “Gansu,” who informed them about a child’s deteriorating condition (heart rate 50, oxygen level 30), it appears that “Gansu” stated she left the child and took no further action to save him.
The participants in the conversation discuss the potential for issues in medical examinations (radiology films) and hesitation to take further steps to treat the child. The dialogue reflects a degree of negligence regarding the critical condition of the child, with one participant mentioning that they do not expect any problems because the family is Syrian and has not initiated any legal proceedings.
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