Day 5 of the 'Newborn Gang' trial concludes: Defendant Mert Özdemir denies charges but admits to financial gain

Beste Çelik - 12punto.com.tr

The trial of the "Newborn Gang," in which a total of 47 defendants, 22 of whom are in custody, are being tried, continues.

While 18 defendants presented their defenses during the first 4 days of the trial, the remaining 29 defendants are continuing to provide their statements today.

12punto is reporting the latest developments from the courthouse regarding the Newborn Gang trial that has shaken Turkey...

DENIED CHARGES, ADMITTED TO FINANCIAL GAIN

Defendant Mert Özdemir, who handled patient referrals, stated that he did not accept any of the charges but admitted that there was financial gain involved.

Özdemir stated the following in his testimony:

"I do not accept any of the charges, but I do admit that there was financial gain. Medical centers cannot notify 112 even if they want to. They report to emergency call centers, and they refer the babies in incubators. This process cannot be immediately directed to intensive care or a private hospital; it can take 5-6 hours.

If procedures are followed for a patient to go directly from medical centers to intensive care, 5-6 hours pass. In practice, this is not applied because patients want to go directly to intensive care. If the referral process were to follow the protocol, it would be completed in 5-6 hours, but it can be completed in 30 minutes. This is done for the benefit of the patient.

There are only 4 ambulance teams with incubators in Istanbul. Therefore, the actions we take in practice are for the benefit of the patient."

Presiding Judge: You said 4 ambulances, are these the numbers in the public sector?

Mert Özdemir: Yes, those are the public ones.

Regarding the referral chain outside of Istanbul:

"If a place could not be found outside of Istanbul, I was personally called. It has also been reported by 112 emergency teams that no place could be found for these patients for days. However, the individuals working in 112 emergency services are not having their statements taken as knowledgeable persons. I see this as malicious. When I am consulted, I am informed that all public scans have been done and no place could be found.

Although I work at the Bağcılar No. 9 station, it is written as Eyüp in the indictment. I think this is a perception operation. It is said that the routes of the ambulances were changed. Ambulances are also tracked via GPS system."

Regarding the criminal organization charge:

"As a 112 ambulance driver, I was not only referring Fırat Sarı's patients. But the file has been restricted only to newborns. I also refer adult cardiology patients. I do not accept these charges; it has now become ridiculous."

Regarding his wife's insurance status:

"My wife has no insurance registration in any of these private hospitals. She only works in the beauty center section of Medicence. She does not work in the office. She reports on the satisfaction of patients at the beauty center. The owner of the Medicence beauty center is Fırat Sarı's wife."

Regarding his conversations on behalf of Doctor Ahmet:

"In this indictment, they did not even bother to obtain information about who Doctor Ahmet is. It has been a year and a half, and it is still not done. The trial period is being deliberately and intentionally prolonged. The doctors I accepted patients for on behalf of the doctors are aware of this.

Although I am accused regarding 10 babies, my name is only mentioned with baby Kaya. I am being tried for 10 babies, but only with one baby.

This baby goes to the private Esencan Hospital at 28 weeks. They diagnose a high-risk pregnancy there and report it to 112 emergency because they will need intensive care afterward. However, theoretically, transfers to private hospitals cannot be made. Because public hospitals were full, no place could be found, and hours were spent waiting, the case's transfer process began. My work ended after the doctor accepted and the transfer process was completed. However, I think the accusation was made intentionally by the prosecutor. The parties concerned in this matter are the hospital administrators. I made an agreement with Ali Aksu from the hospital administrators.

I had the meeting at Bağcılar Şafak Hospital with Mustafa Kazan."

Presiding Judge: What do you say about the money exchange between your wife and Fırat Sarı?

Mert Özdemir: I already admitted that I made financial gains. I made an agreement with Fırat Sarı at Medicence.

Presiding Judge: How did you find the patient?

Mert Özdemir: I found them because I have a network.

Presiding Judge: Why does the patient's admission interest you in the conversation?

Mert Özdemir: Since I handle the transfer of patients, I am constantly called, but the extension or shortening of the patient's discharge procedures was not done by me. But the conversation was unnecessary.

Presiding Judge: Did you also know the number of patients in the hospital?

Mert Özdemir: I was asking because I was referring patients to the hospital.

Presiding Judge: Why don't you want the patients to be discharged in the conversation records?

Mert Özdemir: It's not about not wanting it. It was an unnecessary conversation.

Presiding Judge: When you first explained it, you said there was no space, but private hospitals also complain about the lack of intensive care space. Isn't this a contradiction?

Mert Özdemir: The theoretical rules at 112 are what cause this contradiction. This referral process is not even reported to the transfer unit at 112 because it is too long. Therefore, private hospitals try to fill these areas with their own patients.

Presiding Judge: In your conversations, you say 'I will keep them there'. Is the discharge dependent on you?

Mert Özdemir: I was having these conversations in an officious manner, taking on tasks that were not my responsibility.

Presiding Judge: Regarding discharges, you say 'I think we should stop them'. Is it related to you?

Mert Özdemir: I said it officiously.

Presiding Judge: They say 'Let's pressure Mert a little, let him refer patients to us'. What do you say about this?

Mert Özdemir: They must have said it because I was making referrals.

Presiding Judge: I don't report any of the babies. If we report them, we can't get babies anyway. What do you say to this?

Mert Özdemir: The stages of finding a place for babies take a very long time. It is not reported in terms of time management.

Presiding Judge: Mustafa Kazan tells you that I know you work with Fırat and his colleagues. I have a need for babies. What do you say?

Mert Özdemir: I already admitted that I received payment and met with them. I received payments from Şafak Hospital twice. I received payments of 67 thousand 500 TL and 47 thousand 500 TL from Mustafa Kazan. These payments and meetings were during the period I was in contact with Fırat Sarı.

Presiding Judge: Mustafa Kazan says 'Let's say good luck for the first out-of-province one then'. Do you remember?

Mert Özdemir: Yes, Mr. President, regarding the referral I made.

Presiding Judge: How much did you get per patient?

Mert Özdemir: There was no clear fee I received per patient. There were payments made to me personally.

Presiding Judge: It is stated that you later separated from Fırat Sarı. What do you say?

Mert Özdemir: The process of separating from him started due to fatigue because I was called too much for patient referrals.

Presiding Judge: You tell Mustafa Kazan 'We will steal a baby'. What do you say?

Mert Özdemir: One letter changes a lot there. What was said there was 'we will take a baby'.

Presiding Judge: What do you say about the doctor-finding talk regarding baby Kaya?

Mert Özdemir: There was a doctor when baby Kaya was admitted to the hospital. However, it was said that the doctor resigned, so I referred two other doctors to the hospital. They made an agreement. They complained about me to CİMER during the period I separated from Fırat Sarı.

Dursun Eryılmaz'S DEFENSE

The hearing continued after the break.

Pediatrician Dursun Eryılmaz began his defense.

"My salary was paid by the company. Fırat Sarı said 'I took over this place'. That's how I understood that my salary was paid by Fırat Sarı."

Presiding Judge: In the conversation between Fırat and Gıyasettin Mert, he says to Fırat Sarı, 'I will report your number as Doctor Dursun'. What do you say?

Dursun Eryılmaz: I have no information.

Presiding Judge: What do you say about the conversations with Hasan Basri regarding epicrisis in the audit tapes?

Dursun Eryılmaz: I don't remember.

Presiding Judge: In the conversation between İlker and Çağla, Çağla says the epicrisis is empty. Why?

Dursun Eryılmaz: We don't have an obligation to enter daily epicrisis.

Presiding Judge: In the conversation between Çağla and İlker, it is said 'Be on the same page with Dursun brother'. Why?

Dursun Eryılmaz: I don't know.

Presiding Judge: In the conversation between İlker and Çağla, it says 'If the baby is going to die, let it die before Dursun leaves, I have a Galatasaray match in the evening'. What do you say?

Dursun Eryılmaz: I have a shift there.

Presiding Judge: There is also information in the expert report that it was left to the nurses in the indication.

Dursun Eryılmaz: No, I was there.

Presiding Judge: The expert report states that surgical intervention was not performed when it was supposed to be performed for heart disease, and it mentions infection shock and organ failure.

Dursun Eryılmaz: There is no file, so I cannot give very clear information; I don't remember the patient.

Presiding Judge: Don't you know Fırat Sarı? Did you work depending on his business?

Dursun Eryılmaz: I know him, but I didn't work for him.

Dursun Eryılmaz: There is no file, so I cannot give very clear information; I don't remember the patient.

Presiding Judge: It is written that you worked for him.

Dursun Eryılmaz: No, it was written incorrectly.

Presiding Judge: Can you list the hospitals you worked at?

Dursun Eryılmaz: I last worked at Bağcılar Medilife. I worked part-time.

Presiding Judge: Fırat Sarı says in a conversation about you, 'Let's use his diploma for 80 thousand liras'.

Dursun Eryılmaz: I did not receive such an offer.

Presiding Judge: Çağla asks İlker when she should show the death. You said you wrote the epicrisis yourself. Aren't you the one who approves it after you write it?

Dursun Eryılmaz: Ask them that, I am the one who approves and writes it.

Presiding Judge: Çağla says 'Be on the same page with Dursun brother'.

Dursun Eryılmaz: She must have been uneasy because the police came.

Also, there is no connection between the expert opinion and the autopsy reports. The expert opinion is either ignorant or they have lost their minds.

Presiding Judge: 50 thousand was deposited in one place, 20 thousand in another. Didn't you have a regular salary?

Dursun Eryılmaz: They were completing the salary over time.

Presiding Judge: Who were the nurses working in the newborn unit during your time?

Dursun Eryılmaz: Çağla and Tuğba were there.

Presiding Judge: Where do you know Hasan Basri from?

Dursun Eryılmaz: They came with Mr. Fırat once.

Presiding Judge: You have phone conversations with Hasan Basri, it says you asked him to write an epicrisis. What do you say?

Dursun Eryılmaz: I don't remember. I did not ask Hasan Basri to write an epicrisis. The chief physician wrote me as on-call in the investigation file. I was working part-time.

Presiding Judge: Did you have any observations as a doctor regarding the lack of equipment?

Dursun Eryılmaz: There were minor deficiencies.

Lawyer questions:

Lawyer: The Ministry of Health expert report states that there were facilities to perform treatment procedures for baby Ayaz, but they were not performed.

Dursun Eryılmaz: That baby was a result of consanguineous marriage. I also informed the family.

Lawyer: There is no diagnosis regarding consanguineous marriage.

Dursun Eryılmaz: There is.

Lawyer: Was there a referral reason and disease diagnosis?

Dursun Eryılmaz: The referral request was made because there was no space.

Lawyer: Who asked for 3 thousand liras from Ayaz Karaduman's father and why was it later abandoned?

Dursun Eryılmaz: I don't know.

Lawyer: Did the hospital management conduct an audit regarding the deficiencies?

Dursun Eryılmaz: I don't know, you will ask the management.

Lawyer: You just said that Mr. İlker came to the hospital for the intervention of baby Ayaz. Çağla Durmuş also says that she intervened in the baby in line with Mr. İlker's instructions and could not reach you.

Dursun Eryılmaz: No, my phone was on.

Lawyer: Who performed the intervention on the baby?

Dursun Eryılmaz: The on-duty doctor did it, I don't remember his name.

Defendant lawyers frequently interrupt the questions of the plaintiff lawyers. They prevent them from asking questions. When the presiding judge gave the right to ask questions to the plaintiff lawyers, they opposed the presiding judge.

Lawyer: Who gave the news of the baby's death to the family?

Dursun Eryılmaz: I don't remember because time has passed.

Dursun Eryılmaz's lawyer is filing a criminal complaint against Newborn Case Public Prosecutor Yavuz Ergin and Serkan Türkmen.

A break was taken.

Doctor İlker Gönen is giving his defense:

All conversations between me and Mert are made for the referral process. There is no other reason. If it is based on a document I see in the indictment, it is true, but if it is based on hearsay and assumptions, it is not true. I want to talk about the 5 patients I am accused of in the expert opinion. I have been working since 2005. First is baby Karakoç, the 5th patient in the expert opinion.

The reason I am accused is that I killed the baby by negligence by not giving the baby food containing vitamins. There is a bruise on the baby's intestine. It is reported to Yalova State Hospital, but no empty bed can be found in Yalova. He waits 18 hours for a referral. Then he comes to us, Doctor Dursun also takes care of him, and he passes away 64 days later. Okay, you accused me, why didn't you accuse the official consultant who worked in that hospital and followed him for 64 days? Then, with the intervention of the police, it is examined at the forensic medicine institution, and it is understood that the baby did not die from a lack of vitamins.

The second patient is baby Kerem Muhammet, who is very important to me. I am accused of not performing CPR on this patient. I am a monster, and I am accused of this. Contrary to the ordinary flow of life, I am accused of performing euthanasia on this child. In the nurse and doctor observation, it is seen that CPR was performed for 1 hour. 3rd baby, baby Kadan. Everyone might have a fault.

I might have a fault, but they cannot label us as baby killers. When the baby was born, Doctor Dursun and Cansu were at the head. They called me and said they took the film, then the baby passed away. They said later that the lung had burst, but they are accusing me by writing an expert report from the tapes. In the 4th baby, I am accused of not giving adrenaline, but I said to take it after the baby's death occurred. 5th baby Karaduman. Consanguineous marriage.

TRIAL ADJOURNED UNTIL TOMORROW: DEFENSE OF ORGANIZATION LEADER Fırat Sarı WILL BE TAKEN

The trial of the Newborn Gang, whose managers and members are being tried for making unfair profits by referring babies to hospitals they have agreements with in Istanbul and causing them to die by acting with negligence, has been adjourned until tomorrow. In the hearing to be held tomorrow, the defense of organization leader Fırat Sarı will be taken.

The fifth day of the trial, in which a total of 47 defendants, 22 of whom are in custody, including the managers and members of the Newborn Gang, who made unfair profits by referring babies to hospitals they have agreements with in Istanbul and caused them to die by acting with negligence, has been completed. The trial will continue with its 6th session tomorrow at 10:00. It was learned that organization leader Fırat Sarı will present his defense in the session to be held tomorrow.

News Source: Beste Çelik