Heartbreaking plea from mother in murder trial: 'My daughter was brutally murdered while I couldn't even bear to kiss her'

The hearing regarding the death of Rümeysa Meriç Özcan, whose lifeless body was found tied by the neck with a rope in a pickup truck that rolled into a ditch in Kocaeli, was held today. The detained defendant, Tunay A., refused to provide a defense. Rümeysa Meriç Özcan's mother stated, "My daughter was brutally murdered while I couldn't even bear to kiss her. I want the defendant to receive the heaviest sentence."

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Heartbreaking plea from mother in murder trial: 'My daughter was brutally murdered while I couldn't even bear to kiss her'

In the incident that occurred on May 19, 2024, in the Gölcük district of Kocaeli, 18-year-old Rümeysa Meriç Özcan was found dead in a pickup truck that had overturned into a ditch, with a rope tied around her neck. The hearing for the case was held today at the Kocaeli 1st High Criminal Court. The detained defendant Tunay A., Özcan's mother Kevser Erden, and the lawyers for both parties were present at the hearing.

DEFENDANT DID NOT PROVIDE A DEFENSE, CASE ADJOURNED

Tunay A. did not wish to provide a defense during this session. Consequently, the defendant's lawyers stated that they would provide a defense at the next hearing. The court panel decided to continue the defendant's detention and adjourned the hearing.

The defendant Tunay A. faces a potential sentence of aggravated life imprisonment for the crime of "intentional killing" and 3 to 10 years and 6 months in prison for the crime of "deprivation of liberty by using force, threat, or deception."

"I WENT INTO THE GROUND TOO"

Meanwhile, speaking in front of the courthouse, mother Kevser Erden stated that Rümeysa was her only child and cried out, "My daughter was brutally murdered while I couldn't even bear to kiss her. The day I laid my daughter to rest, I went into that ground too. I want the defendant to receive the heaviest sentence."

WHAT HAD HAPPENED?

During the investigation at the scene of the accident, it was determined that 18-year-old Rümeysa Meriç Özcan, who was thrown from the pickup truck, had lost her life. It was established that the rope around the young girl's neck was tied to the vehicle.

The 22-year-old driver, Tunay A., who was determined to have fled the scene, along with E.K., Y.A.A., C.Ç., and K.N.K., who were found to have exited the vehicle earlier, were taken into custody by the Provincial Police Department's Murder Bureau teams on suspicion of murder.

Of the suspects referred to judicial authorities, Tunay A. was arrested, while the others were released.

News Source: 12punto