11 Arrested Over Vacation Deaths of Family of 4, as Chemical Pesticides Become Suspected Cause Instead of Food Poisoning

Authorities in Turkey are investigating whether a family of four died from chemical poisoning while vacationing in Istanbul.

Servet Böcek, 38, his wife Çiğdem, 27, and their two children, Kadir, 6, and Masal, 3, were initially reported to have died on suspicion of food poisoning, according to Istanbul’s Regional Health Chief Dr. Abdullah Emre Guner, who shared the information on X on Nov. 13.

Subsequent reports, citing Turkish media, suggested the family may have been exposed to pesticides at their accommodation in Istanbul’s Fatih district. Hürriyet Daily News also reported that two additional tourists became ill at the Harbour Suites Old City, the same hotel where the family stayed.

A newer report from Deutsche Welle released on Wednesday, Nov. 19, said investigators are focusing on phosphine-producing pesticides. Officials are also examining whether the family was exposed to high levels of aluminium phosphide, a chemical used in some pesticides, according to The New York Times, which cited local outlets.

Deutsche Welle reported that forensic testing was conducted on samples from the mother and the two children, citing the local outlet Cumhuriyet. Investigators believe bedbug-killing chemicals may have been sprayed in a ground-floor room and then spread into the family’s room through the hotel’s ventilation system, according to CNN, citing local media.

Authorities are continuing pathological, microbiological, toxicological and chemical examinations. As the investigation progresses, food poisoning is now considered an unlikely cause of death, Deutsche Welle reported.

According to The New York Times, citing the Anadolu news agency, eleven people have been arrested, including the hotel owner, two staff members, a pesticide worker, a mussels vendor and a pita bread seller. Four of those arrested have been jailed, while others remain in detention as prosecutors determine what charges to file. No official charges have been announced yet.

Böcek reportedly died on Monday, several days after his wife and children were confirmed dead on Nov. 14. The family had traveled from Hamburg, Germany, to Istanbul on Nov. 9 for their holiday.