Investigation Launched After Death of German Tourist Family in Istanbul

Turkish police have initiated a series of arrests targeting multiple restaurant owners and street vendors in Istanbul amid an ongoing investigation into the tragic deaths of a German tourist family of Turkish descent. This incident has sparked significant concern among tourists and led to inquiries about the unclear circumstances surrounding the family's demise. Initially suspected of food poisoning, the investigation expanded following autopsy findings.

The family, consisting of Servet Bojic (37), his wife Cigdem (26), and their two children, Kadir Mohammed (6) and Masal (3), had traveled to Istanbul from Germany for a brief vacation. Shortly after eating at various local establishments, they began to experience severe symptoms, including intense abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting, while at their hotel in the Fatih district.

Despite being rushed to the hospital, their condition worsened rapidly. The children were the first to succumb, followed by their mother on Friday morning. The father remains in critical condition in intensive care.

Reports indicate that the family consumed popular local dishes such as tantuni, midye (stuffed mussels), and kokoreç, which are favored by both locals and tourists. The forensic team has started collecting food samples from the vendors where the family dined. Arrests have been made, including a street vendor selling mussels, a restaurant owner serving tantuni, and a vendor of Turkish sweets, with charges of "causing death through negligence" reported by the Sabah newspaper.

However, autopsy results did not conclusively indicate food poisoning; no specific pathological signs were found, although bruises were noted on the children's knees and congestion in the stomach's mucous membrane. Consequently, the Istanbul prosecutor has classified the case as a "suspicious death" and has referred it to the homicide unit for further investigation, considering other potential criminal scenarios, including murder or suicide.

The mother and her two children are scheduled to be buried today in Turkey, where the family has roots in the provinces of Isparta and Afyonkarahisar. The parents have been living in Hamburg, Germany, where the father works at the airport.