German family of four found dead in Istanbul: Why investigators suspect hotel pesticides?

A vacation for a German family of four turned fatal as all of them were found dead during their stay in Istanbul. The quadruple murder is now being investigated by the Turkish authorities, who suspect it to be a case of poisoning linked to their hotel environment.

Servet Bocek, 36, his wife Cigdem Bocek, 27, and their two children Kadir, six, and Masal, three, flew from Hamburg to Istanbul on November 9. The family, who were Turkish by origin but lived in Germany, regularly visited Turkey to see their homeland.

Three days into their trip, they began feeling unwell after visiting tourist areas and eating local food. They had tried popular dishes such as stuffed mussels and Kokoretsi, a traditional meal made from goat intestines, according to Turkey’s Anadolu news agency.

First hospital visit and worsening condition

Initially, the family was taken to hospital with suspected food poisoning. After receiving treatment, they were discharged and returned to their hotel in Istanbul’s Fatah District, a popular area for tourists. However, their condition soon worsened.

A taxi driver, who rushed them to the hospital, told The New York Times that Cigdem Bocek was very ill and that the daughter was vomiting. The children were later sent back to the hotel, but the following day the mother found her daughter lying motionless on the floor. An ambulance was called and the family was admitted again.

Both children died on November 13 while in hospital, said Istanbul’s regional health chief Abdullah Emre Guner. Cigdem Bocek, who had high fever and vomiting, died the next day on November 14. Her husband, Servet Bocek, passed away on November 17 after spending days in intensive care.

Investigation shifts from food to hotel environment

The sudden deaths shocked Turkey and triggered an urgent investigation. At first, authorities focused on the possibility of food poisoning, leading to a crackdown on street food vendors in areas like Ortaköy.

However, the probe took a new turn when two other tourists staying at the same hotel also fell ill. Investigators began to suspect that the cause was not food but chemicals used in the hotel.

Turkish media reported that a pesticide meant to kill bedbugs had been sprayed in a ground floor room of the hotel. It is believed that the chemical spread through the ventilation system and reached the Bocek family’s room.

The Institute of Forensic Medicine found signs of internal damage in the preliminary autopsy. It said “all had haemorrhaging on their stomach walls, among other symptoms” and concluded that it was more likely the deaths were caused by “chemical poisoning originating from the hotel environment” rather than “food poisoning”.

The institute also stated that “laboratories were processing samples — including body tissue, air from the hotel and food from the restaurants where they ate.” Results from these tests are expected later this month.

Officials said other guests who fell ill were not in life-threatening condition.

Arrests and hotel closure

So far, eleven people have been arrested in connection with the case. Those detained include the hotel owner, staff members, a pesticide worker and local food vendors including a mussel seller and a pita bread seller, Anadolu reported.

The Istanbul provincial health directorate and the chief public prosecutor’s office are leading the investigation. The hotel has been shut down as forensic teams collected samples from bedsheets, pillows, water bottles and blankets.

Erdogan promises strict action

As the case drew global attention, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addressed it in Parliament. “The investigation into the deaths is continuing with utmost sensitivity.”

“Anyone at fault will be determined, and there will be no mercy for them," he added.

The Governor of Istanbul also called a food safety meeting and announced stronger monitoring measures. He said restaurants would be required to use surveillance cameras and ordered stricter inspections of pesticide companies.

For now, the hotel remains sealed as authorities continue to examine evidence and await final forensic results.