Ministry's '110 thousand lira aid' claim: Grieving mother who lost 5 children responds

A tragic incident that occurred recently in the Selçuk district of İzmir left Turkey in mourning.

It was learned that 5 siblings lost their lives as a result of an electric heater tipping over, and that the family's financial situation was poor.

The oldest of those who lost their lives was 5 years old. Fadime Nefes (5), Funda Peri (4), Aslan Miraç (3), Masal Işık (2), and Aras Bulut Akcan (1) lost their lives in the fire.

27-year-old mother Melisa Akcan was looking after the children alone, as their father is in prison. The mother said that on the day of the fire, she had gone to sell scrap metal she had collected, and that she had left the house for about 20 minutes for this reason.

MINISTRY: 110 THOUSAND LIRA IN SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SUPPORT PROVIDED TO THE FAMILY

Following the death of the children, debates regarding negligence began. The Ministry of Family and Social Services issued a statement, noting that Ministry teams had visited the family's home 18 times this year.

The statement also said, "The Akcan family is supported by the Ministry through the Social Economic Support Service. In addition to regular support, along with additional support provided, a total of 110 thousand lira in social assistance has been provided to the family since August."

MOTHER: HOW CAN I LOOK AFTER MY 5 CHILDREN WITH FOUR THOUSAND LIRA?

Speaking with difficulty, mother Melisa Akcan, who was reached by Sözcü TV reporter Gamze Elçi, said, "I lost my children, I buried them just yesterday."

To the question, "There are claims that you were given 110 thousand lira in aid, is this true?" she gave the following response: "I did not receive 110 thousand lira in aid; let alone 100 thousand, I received no aid at all. I never received money. On the contrary, I was being given 8 thousand lira in support, and they reduced that to 4 thousand lira. How can I look after my 5 children with this four thousand lira?"

Akcan's mother and father, who also spoke to the Sözcü TV reporter, reiterated that their daughter did not receive 100 thousand lira in aid from the state.