Body of missing Turk cremated in US without family's consent

ISTANBUL

The body of a Turkish man, who had been missing for three months and was residing in the United States for the past seven years, has been cremated without his family's consent, reports VOA Turkish, a multimedia news service.

Abdullah Taha Kılıç overdosed on drugs three months ago and was found dead at his home in Philadelphia, according to the news service.

As mandated by state law, unclaimed bodies are typically held in a morgue for a specified period before being laid to rest. However, in a rare case, the remains of Kılıç were cremated after being held for just five weeks, without his family's approval.

The reason Philadelphia police failed to notify Kılıç's family and the Turkish Embassy after discovering his body remains undisclosed.

Legal experts have criticized the decision, calling it improper, especially considering that Kılıç was a Muslim and his family had not requested his remains be cremated.

The autopsy report is expected to provide more clarity on Kılıç's cause of death, as his family maintains that he had quit smoking and had no history of harmful habits.