Ankara: Turkish authorities have arrested a former top-tier football player. The football player confessed to murdering his five-year-old son while the boy was being treated in a hospital on suspicion of COVID-19 infection.
Cevher Toktas, 32, handed himself over to police. He said that he smothered his son, Kasim, with a pillow May 4, the state-run ‘Anadolu Agency’ reported.
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, ‘Anadolu’ reported.
‘HaberTurk’ television reported that Toktas, currently plays with amateur league team ‘Bursa Yildirimspor’. He told police that he tried to suffocate his son because he did not love him. However, he turned himself in to police 11 days after the ghastly act because he felt remorse.
The boy was admitted to the children’s hospital in the northwestern province of Bursa with cough and high fever April 23. He was placed in isolation along with his father.
Soon after, Toktas said, he smothered the boy and called for help. Initially he told healthcare professionals that Kasim had taken a turn for the worse. The five-year-old was rushed to the hospital’s intensive care unit, where he died two hours later.
Police said no trial date has been set yet.
Between 2007 and 2009, Toktas played for the Hacettepe soccer team, which briefly competed in the Turkish top-tier Super League.
AP