Baby handed over to family 50 days after quakes

MERSİN

A baby who was rescued from under the rubble in the Kahramanmaraş earthquakes and brought to the southern province of Mersin for treatment was handed over to his parents 50 days later.

Katibe and Naser Alkhalef had just moved to the southern province of Kahramanmaraş with their three children before the devastating quakes hit the region.

During the quakes, the couple survived with their four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son. But their youngest, 10-month-old Musa, was trapped under the rubble.

As the search and rescue efforts were underway, the couple lost track of their baby and could not find him anywhere.

It was learned that baby Musa was pulled out of the rubble alive and taken to Mersin City Hospital, and after being discharged on March 7, he was taken into protection at Davultepe Children’s Homes Site under the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services.

The family, who learned that their child was in Davultepe, rushed to Mersin on March 27 and had a DNA test done.

When the DNA samples matched, the baby was reunited with his family on March 28.

The mother was brought to tears of happiness as she embraced her baby.

“We had lost all our hope because such a long time had passed. I was very happy with the news. They took very good care of our child. Thank you very much to everyone who contributed,” she said.

Aysel Gürsoy, deputy director of the Provincial Directorate of Family and Social Services, said that the children of earthquake victims, who were brought to Mersin after being injured in the earthquakes, were taken under state protection after their treatment.

Gürsoy stated that they have handed over 28 foreign children to their families so far.

Currently, there are still five foreign children left in the institution waiting to be handed over to their families, she added.