Police request list of ‘students who might have been pregnant’ after baby found dead in central Turkey

SİVAS

Police have reportedly asked Cumhuriyet University, in the Central Anatolian province of Sivas, for a list of “students who might have been pregnant” as part of an investigation into a dead baby found in a dustbin. 

Police found the dead body of the baby on Feb. 22 and subsequently asked the university to submit a list of students who might have been pregnant before that day, daily Cumhuriyet reported on March 14.

The notice reportedly sent to the university, with the approval of the Sivas Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, asked for the names of female students who were absent in the week when the baby was found. Police also sought the names of students who did not initially register for the spring period but later registered with a petition. 

As a part of the investigation, the notice sent to the prosecutor’s office by police on March 8 said the university should submit the names, ID numbers and faculty information of all such students. 

“In relation to the incident of finding a baby corpse, we ask you to request the list of the female students receiving education in all departments of Cumhuriyet University, who registered at the school in 2016-2017 autumn period but did not register in the spring term on time, and who subsequently registered with a petition. We also want you to request the names, ID numbers and faculty information of female students who were absent between Monday Feb. 20, 2017 and Friday Feb. 24, 2017,” the notice reportedly read. 

“We also ask you to seek information about female students who have the possibility of being pregnant before Feb. 22, 2017, from the rectorate of Cumhuriyet University, in order for them to be examined,” it added. 

According to the daily, Chief Public Prosecutor Sümeyra Doğru approved the notice and it was sent to the rectorate of the university before being distributed to all faculties. The faculties have reportedly prepared the lists in accordance with the criteria determined by the police. 

The investigation comes after a man, identified only as Muhammet G., who was collecting rubbish in the Eğriköprü neighborhood, found the body of a dead baby in a trash can on Feb. 22 and notified police.