Statement from the cleaner who cleaned the Böcek family's room: 'I did not smell anything'

News: Rojda Altıntaş

While the investigation continues regarding the Böcek family, who lost their lives due to poisoning while visiting Turkey from Germany for a vacation, journalist Rojda Altıntaş has obtained the statement of the staff member who cleaned the room where the Böcek family stayed at the hotel.

Here is the cleaner's statement:

“I last entered room 202, where the Böcek family had stayed. There was vomit in the corner of every bed. I collected them into bags, one inside another, and there were 7-8 bags in total; I collected the contents of this room. 

I cleaned this room, went outside, collected these bags, and went down to the bottom floor. There were two medications on the cabinet next to the double bed. I tidied up the room and ventilated it. Then I cleaned it, and as far as I remember, I left the hotel around 14:00 – 15:00.

On 13/11/2025, around 09:00, I came to the hotel to clean. I cleaned the reception and the hotel entrance area in order. 

The staff member at the reception told me to bring the sheets from the basement and get clean sheets. Then I went upstairs to clean and cleaned a few rooms on the upper floors. 

The receptionist named Eyüp, who was at the reception, told me that the room belonged to the Böcek family. Later, I went to room 101 on the lower floor and removed the tape on the door of the room. Since I knew the room had been treated with pesticides, I put on gloves and a mask. 

When I entered the room, I saw 6 pesticide containers in transparent, tulle-like bags, containing ash-colored, sand-like substances in white plastic plates, in each corner of the bed in the room, again on the left side of the cabinet door where the radiator pipes pass, and a little further away in a plate, and by the window; and on the lower floor, I saw a total of 11-12 pesticide containers in the corners of the room in this manner.

I collected all of these, put them in a black trash bag, tied the mouth of the bag, and threw it in the trash. Inside the room, the bathroom door was taped shut; I saw that the ventilation vent in the bathroom was taped and the opening part of the cabinet door where the radiator pipes pass was taped. 

I removed all these tapes and cleaned. I wiped the floors. I brought new bed sheets and a quilt. I opened the windows and ventilated the room. I did not smell anything in the room. Then I left the room.

I threw the trash into the container. I did not go to the hotel for cleaning after this date. As far as I remember, such pesticide treatment had been done in August before. I had cleaned in this way then as well. This is all I know.