A 2-year-old child hospitalized in Tekirdağ with a suspected brain hemorrhage has been confirmed to have been sexually abused, raising concerns over the alarming situation facing children across Turkey,
According to the Birgün daily, the child, identified as S.Y., was taken to the hospital after reportedly falling ill, where doctors found signs of physical abuse before transferring the child to a city hospital for emergency surgery.
“Unfortunately, the forensic reports have confirmed the sexual abuse of the child, who is only 2 years old,” Tekirdağ Bar Association President Egemen Gürcün said. “The mother, despite being aware of the abuse, concealed evidence and delayed taking the child to the hospital for three days.”
The child remains in intensive care following brain surgery, while five suspects have been arrested in connection with the case, including the child’s mother, her religiously married partner and two underage suspects. As of now, authorities have not publicly confirmed who exactly is responsible for the sexual abuse.
A 5-year-old sibling was placed in protective custody following the incident.
This case follows another tragic event involving child abuse in Turkey. Narin Güran, who had been missing since August 21, was found dead more than two weeks later. Her body was discovered in a river near her family’s village on Sunday, intensifying the national outrage over crimes against children.
The rise in such cases adds to concerns about child sexual abuse in the country. According to data released by the Ministry of Justice, 40,713 new cases of child sexual abuse were filed in 2023, involving 36,275 suspects.
