Eleven people have been arrested so far during the investigation into the suspected poisoning deaths of a mother and her two young children of a tourist family on holiday in Istanbul, while the hotel where they were staying was sealed after two other tourists fell ill. Meanwhile, the woman’s husband and father of the deceased children is still in a hospital fighting for his life.
According to the Turkish daily Hürriyet, the family, coming from Germany, arrived in Istanbul on 9 November 2025 and stayed at the Harbour Suites Old City hotel, located in the Fatih district, in the heart of the city’s historic centre.
On the 11th, the family reportedly visited the popular Istanbul neighbourhood of Ortaköy, where they ate mussels, sausages, soup and chicken kebabs, before returning to the hotel. The following day they were admitted to hospital with symptoms compatible with food poisoning: the children Kadir Muhammet (6 years old) and Masal (3) died on 13 November, while the mother, Çiğdem Böcek (27 years old), died on 14 November. The father, Servet Böcek (32), remains intubated and continues to be treated, and his condition is critical.
Before she died, the mother was able to tell police in detail about the food she had eaten since her arrival in Istanbul, police sources said. The family was of Turkish origin but resided in Germany, and had travelled to Istanbul for a week’s holiday. As part of the investigation into the incident, four people were initially arrested, including the owner of the restaurant where they ate, identified as Ercan E., and street vendor Yusuf D., who allegedly sold them street food that may have caused the poisoning.
Investigation took a turn after two other hotel guests were poisoned
However, although initial suspicions were focused on the food eaten at Ortaköy, the investigation changed direction when two other tourists staying at the same hotel were hospitalised with symptoms of food poisoning on 15 November. It was then discovered that the establishment had been sprayed with pesticides on 11 November at around 17:00, shortly before the family returned to the hotel after their stay in Ortaköy.
Teams from the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture, the Disaster and Emergency Management Agency (AFAD) and criminal investigation units of the Turkish police took samples from pillows, sheets, water bottles and blankets. AFAD’s measurements, however, did not detect any abnormalities, and analyses have so far also ruled out exposure to harmful gases or chemicals. The final autopsy report is awaited, as initial examinations of the victims have not been able to determine the cause of death, according to Turkish media.
Teams from the Health Directorate of the Fatih district (Istanbul’s historic centre) have examined 15 guests staying at the same hotel without finding any abnormalities. At this stage, all samples have been sent to the laboratory for analysis. Following indications of the use of pesticides, the police arrested the owner of the hotel, identified by the initials H.O., two managers of the pest control company, S.K. and D.C., and the owner of the bakery where the family from Germany bought simit and other bagels. In the last few hours, three more suspects have been arrested: a worker of the fumigation company and two employees of the hotel, bringing the total number of arrested persons to 11.
After official inspections were completed, municipal officials in Istanbul’s Fatih district sealed off the hotel on Sunday morning. Following the hospitalisation of two foreign tourists staying at the establishment who suffered from nausea and vomiting, the remaining 15 guests have been relocated to other hotels in the area. The authorities reported on social media that both tourists are in good condition and under observation, and that their lives are not in danger. A third person accompanying them was admitted with symptoms of low heart rate, but responded quickly to treatment and remains stable.
VOTE
EDITORIAL TEAM
🧿 About us
.
Edited and reviewed by:
Pablo Gómez is a specialist in Turkey and has been editor-in-chief of Hispanatolia since 2011. He has been analysing current affairs and geopolitics in Turkey and the surrounding region since 2006.
…
📣 Your ADVERTISING on Hispanatolia
.
🤗 HELP US WITH A DONATION:
💗 Paypal
