Shocking audio recordings emerge in newborn gang trial: 'The child will die here'

The trial, known in the public eye as the "Newborn Gang" case, in which healthcare personnel, hospital administrators, and some public officials are being tried for allegedly causing financial loss to public institutions and gaining illicit profits, continues at the Bakırköy 22nd High Criminal Court. The latest hearing of the case, involving a total of 58 defendants, 29 of whom are in custody, began at 11:00 AM in the conference hall of the Bakırköy Courthouse.

It is alleged that the defendants referred newborns to the neonatal intensive care units of private hospitals with which they had agreements in order to obtain high invoices from the SGK, and caused the deaths of some infants by performing unnecessary medical procedures.

AUDIO RECORDINGS PLAYED IN COURT

The most notable development in the hearing was the playing of audio recordings between hospital staff and the 112 emergency call center, upon the request of the lawyer for defendant Fırat Sarı. Despite the prosecution's objection, the court panel unanimously decided to listen to the recordings.

In the recorded conversations, it was heard that hospital staff called 112 regarding the condition of a baby named Kaya, stating that "there is no room in the intensive care unit" and using the phrases, "both the mother and the baby are sick, we could lose both." The staff said, "We don't want to transfer them either, but we have to, we have no space."

''THERE IS NO ROOM IN THE PUBLIC SECTOR, YOU MUST WAIT''

The response from the 112 call center to the staff's request for help was recorded as follows:

"Unfortunately, there is no room in the public sector right now. It is busy on weekdays and weekends. Therefore, you must continue to wait."

Upon this, the hospital staff replied, "We are telling you the situation is risky, and you are saying there is nothing to be done. We have also reported this to ASKOM, the responsibility is no longer ours."

''THE CHILD WILL DIE HERE''

In the recordings, a nurse says, "This child needs to be admitted to intensive care as soon as possible; it is not appropriate for them to stay with us. I called you to speed up the process," while the 112 call center says, "You have 4 pediatricians in your hospital, we cannot initiate an ASKOM transfer. There must be no pediatricians in the hospital for a transfer to be made."

Upon this, the doctor's words, "Well, it is not appropriate for them to stay here. This child is intubated right now. The child will die here," and the 112 official's same response were recorded: "You currently have 4 doctors, we cannot initiate an ASKOM transfer."

Within the scope of the case, it is alleged that the defendants, who are accused of causing millions of liras in losses to the SGK, in some cases deliberately worsened the health conditions of newborns to transfer them to private hospitals and kept them in intensive care even when it was not necessary.