Chilling incident: 4-year-old Aren Eren died of hunger and thirst

In the investigation conducted in Greece, it was alleged that according to the autopsy report, the cause of death of 4-year-old Aren Eren was multi-organ failure due to prolonged hunger and thirst. The investigation file stated that the child experienced severe weight loss during the process leading to his death, dropping from 17 kilograms to 9 kilograms.

While it is estimated that the child's death occurred at least 48 hours before seeking medical attention, the possibility that the death may have gone unnoticed for a long time has also been included in the scope of the investigation.

It was stated that Aren Eren, born on April 23, 2022, remained in the custody of his mother after the divorce process, lived with his father and grandmother in Turkey for a period, and was later taken to Greece. It was learned that the father, Huday Can Eren, was in prison during the divorce process. The deceased Aren Eren's father, Huday Can Eren, requested that his other twin children, Laren and Arlen, who were placed in foster care, be brought to Turkey.

It was learned that an arrest warrant was issued for the mother within the scope of the investigation on the grounds of "neglect of care and supervision duty," and it was reported that the judicial process is continuing in Greece. It was stated that the investigation into the incident has been deepened and the judicial process is ongoing in both Turkey and Greece.

"I learned that my son was starved to death"

The deceased Aren Eren's father, Huday Can Eren, stated that he learned of his child's death months later, saying, "We have been in the process of divorce since 2023. I went to prison for a period, and during this time, my child was handed over to his mother. After that process, I could not get news from my son for a long time. On May 22, the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office notified me that my son had died. I learned of his death months later. Later, when I spoke with my mother, I learned that my son was starved to death.

He was healthy when he left here, he was about 22 kilograms, but I learned that he had dropped to 9 kilograms when he passed away. It is impossible for me to accept what happened. I want my other twin children to be brought to Turkey and for the case to be heard here," he said.

"Our only wish is for our twin children to be given to us"

Explaining the handover process and what happened afterwards, grandmother Semiha Coşkun said, "While Aren's custody was initially with his father by the Edirne Second Family Court, it was temporarily given to his mother during the period when his father was in prison. Later, passport permission was granted for the child to go abroad. I had to hand over the child with a prosecutor's decision, accompanied by a psychologist and police. When I handed him over, Aren was around 22-23 kilograms.

Our legal struggle continued throughout the process. I had video calls with Aren for a while; we had communication until August 19. Then she blocked me from everywhere. During this process, we applied to our courts again and I filed a new lawsuit for the custody of the three children. At first, we were given information that the child died of cardiac arrest and respiratory failure. However, later, when I followed the Greek media, I learned the allegations that the child had dropped to 9 kilograms and died of hunger.

Autopsy reports also confirmed this situation. It is impossible to understand this. This process is not something that happens in a short time. I cannot understand how they could do this to a child. I cannot call the other party a mother; this is an insult to a mother. I have been going back and forth between Greece and Turkey for six months, we are putting up a great fight. We are at a point where words fail. Our only wish now is for our twin children to be given to us," she said.

"We are following the process in both Turkey and Greece"

Stating that they received the news of death while waiting for Aren's custody, Lawyer Kübra Köse Gökdemir said, "When the child was sent to Greece, he was 22 kilograms and all his health checks were being done by his grandmother. Later, we were approached with a request like 'let's give you Aren' in the form of a consensual divorce. We received the news of death while we were waiting for Aren's custody. After this process, we made our necessary applications and learned that the death occurred in a very tragic way.

We have also carried the process continuing in Greece to the Turkish authorities; we submitted our complaints to the Edirne Chief Public Prosecutor's Office. The investigation file is currently actively continuing. Similarly, the divorce case is also continuing because there are two healthy children left behind. We are primarily requesting their custody.

A temporary custody decision has already been obtained from the Turkish authorities. The process is continuing in Greece. Since the children are Greek citizens, they were taken under protection and are currently in foster care. We believe that it would be more appropriate for these children to grow up with their root family and their own culture. Since they are currently in Greek foster care, we argue that this should be changed. Our primary demand is for the two healthy children to be brought to Turkey, to their father and grandmother. Besides this, we have demands for Aren's funeral to be brought to Turkey as well. We are also in cooperation with our colleagues in Greece.

The autopsy photos are truly not the kind that a human heart can bear. There is a heavy picture that cannot be shown to anyone. It is stated that the child is unrecognizable. It is unacceptable that a child known to be healthy with his grandmother has lost his life in this way in Greece. We will follow this process to the end," she expressed.