Doctor who was the second-highest defendant in the 'Newborn Gang' case dies by suicide in prison

Journalist Emrullah Erdinç shared information on his social media account regarding the Newborn Gang, which is alleged to have caused the deaths of infants by transferring them to hospitals with which they had agreements in Istanbul for illicit financial gain.

Erdinç reported that Dr. Gönen, one of the defendants in the newborn gang case, died by suicide in prison.

İlker Gönen, who was being held in a single-person cell at the closed prison in the Döşemealtı district of Antalya, ended his life in the morning hours after leaving a suicide note.

It was reported that the prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into prison staff following the suicide.

In his defense during the hearing on November 22, 2024, İlker Gönen had stated, "Everyone may have committed a crime. I may have committed a crime, but no one can label me a baby killer."

İlker Gönen, one of the two key doctors being tried in the gang case for allegedly applying incorrect treatments to newborns to profit from the Social Security Institution (SGK) and causing their deaths, was facing a total prison sentence ranging from 177 years to 582 years for charges including "causing death by negligent conduct," "qualified fraud," "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime," and 11 counts of "forgery of official documents."

WHAT HAPPENED?

The Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched an investigation into allegations that 12 infants died due to negligence after being admitted to intensive care units in private hospitals when it was not necessary, and the prosecutor conducting the investigation, Y.E., was threatened in his office. While the revelation of the incident caused public outrage, an indictment was prepared by the Bakırköy Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against 47 suspects, 22 of whom were under arrest.

In the indictment, prison sentences ranging from 177 years and 6 months to 589 years and 9 months were requested for the suspects for the crimes of "causing death by negligent conduct," "qualified fraud," "establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime," and "forgery of official documents."

In the indictment, 10 deceased infants were listed as "victims," 5 people as "complainants," the Social Security Institution (SGK) Istanbul Provincial Directorate as the "party harmed by the crime," 19 hospitals and health companies as "civilly liable," and 47 people as "suspects."