Woman who kidnapped her newborn nephew captured in southern Turkey

Birsel Göral, 28, was captured by police in a bus in the southern province of Adana with the 15-day-old baby.

The police detained Göral while the baby was reunited with his parents, Ali and Emine Kiya. The incident took place in Gaziantep where the Kiya family lives. Göral, working as a principal of a girl’s dormitory in Adana, was staying with the Kiya family for a visit. 

On the afternoon of April 22, a fire took place in a bedroom of the Kiya family for unknown reasons. 

Emine Kiya took her newborn son, Ayaz, out of the house, putting him near the front door, and returned inside to extinguish the fire. The mother realized the baby had disappeared when she went outside again.

Police questioned neighbors and put out a search warrant for Göral, as she had also disappeared soon after the fire. The police stopped an intercity bus and detained Göral. The baby was sent to the Gaziantep Children’s Hospital for a health examination and then united with his parents and five-year-old brother.

Göral told the police in her initial questioning that she took advantage of the fire and took the baby with her. She also said that she had been unable to have a baby in her five-year marriage, during which time she had a miscarriage. The police are now investigating whether the aunt started the house fire as part of her plan.