Cevher Toktas a former top-tier soccer player has been arrestedby the local police in Turkey after he confessed to killing his 5-year-old son while the boy was being treated in a hospital on suspicion of a COVID-19 infection. The 32-year old surrendered to police and confessed to having smothered his son, Kasim, with a pillow. The boy’s death was initially not believed to be suspicious, although he tested negative for COVID-19. His body has been exhumed for an autopsy as part of the investigation.
HaberTurk television reported that Toktas, who currently plays with amateur league team Bursa Yildirimspor, told police that he tried to suffocate his son because he did not love him, and turned himself in to police 11 days later because he felt remorse.The boy was admitted to the children’s hospital in the northwestern province of Bursa with a cough and high fever on April 23 an official Turkish public holiday celebrating children and placed in isolation along with his father. Soon after, Toktas said, he smothered the boy and called for help, saying Kasim had taken a turn for the worse. The 5-year-old was rushed to the hospital’s intensive care unit, where he died two hours later.