Investigation launched into funeral mix-up scandal at university hospital

81-year-old Yusuf Kırlangıç, who lived in the Serinyol neighborhood of Antakya, Hatay, passed away following a heart attack. Kırlangıç's body was taken to the Mustafa Kemal University Training and Research Hospital morgue following autopsy and morgue procedures.

When the family went to the hospital at noon to collect the body, morgue staff handed them a body. When his relatives opened the body bag to say their final goodbyes, they realized that it was not Yusuf Kırlangıç, but the body of another person.

IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE WRONG BODY WAS BURIED

Upon the family notifying the authorities of the situation, an investigation revealed that the body handed to them belonged to I.Ü., who lived in the Erzin district.

Checks determined that the family in Erzin had received and buried the body of Yusuf Kırlangıç, believing it to be their own relative.

Following the mix-up, the process was accelerated. The body of Yusuf Kırlangıç was exhumed from the cemetery where it had been buried and taken to the Erzin State Hospital morgue.

The Kırlangıç family then collected the body from the Erzin State Hospital morgue. The body was taken to the Serinyol neighborhood, washed, and laid to rest in the neighborhood cemetery following the funeral prayer.

The family stated that they would file a complaint against those responsible for the mix-up.

"WE REALIZED THAT OUR FATHER WAS NOT THE BODY GIVEN TO US"

Describing the process, Servet Kırlangıç said, "The incident began when we went to the university hospital to collect our father's body. We realized that our father was not the body given to us. Yesterday evening, we collected my father's body from the Erzin State Hospital morgue. We thank the authorities and the Şehit Özen Police Station for accelerating this process. Actually, this incident should not have reached this point. If the official had done their job properly, we would not be here.

I am very sad that this happened. We buried my father's body in the Serinyol Neighborhood Cemetery this morning. Our pain has eased a little now that we have been reunited with our father's body. I believe the university hospital is guilty of gross negligence. The university hospital is responsible for this process taking place. I hope those who come after us do not experience this pain.

They called us and we went to Erzin State Hospital to collect the body. The other family had performed the funeral prayer for my father, washed the body, and buried it. Even at that moment, the family did not realize that the body was not their own father. I don't understand how this could happen. They don't recognize their own father," he said.

"MAY NO ONE ELSE SUFFER"

Bülent Kırlangıç stated that they carried out the burial procedures after collecting the body, saying, "After confirming it was our father, we brought him to Antakya and buried our deceased this morning. We thank everyone who helped us during this process. I wish it hadn't happened; it was a very sad situation.

We want no one else to suffer. We did not understand how the other family could come and not recognize their father. They washed my father's body, held the funeral prayer, and even asked for forgiveness on his behalf. While these processes were taking place, the family did not realize it was not their father," he expressed.