A Russian couple who complained about the state of Turkish tourism facilities after their 12-year-old daughter was sucked into a swimming pool drainage pipe and killed now face murder charges themselves.
Turkish police have handed a file to prosecutors that alleges the parents of the schoolgirl, identified as Alisa Adamova from the Russian city of St Petersburg, who was killed in the tragedy, had clearly neglected their duties of care.
As a result, the family have revealed prosecutors are considering taking them to court over the death of their minor daughter. A final decision has not yet been made over the tragedy that happened in the Turkish resort city of Bodrum last month when the girl was trapped below the surface of the water of almost 15 minutes before her desperate father and other tourists managed to release her.
Such was the violence of the attempts to pull her free that a section of the pump was still attached to her arm when she was pulled above the surface. The young girl, whose parents described as a strong swimmer, was rushed to hospital where she remained in a coma for 10 days. She died as Russian medical experts were flying to Turkey in a bid to try and save her.
Witnesses say there was no lifeguard on duty when the tragedy happened at the Sunhill Hotel and her mother Natalya Adamova said: “Her father jumped into the water as soon as he saw her arm was stuck under water, and he tried to pull out but her body but it was too strongly sucked into the pump pipe. He called for help and another guest rushed over, but even when the hotel staff switched off the pump they could not pull her free.”
The dad, who said hotel staff did not do enough, added after the death was confirmed: “We know that life must go on but we will never be the same again.”
Turkish police have filed a report with prosecutors that recommends hotel managers face prosecution, but it also said that the parents of the child had not done enough and should face legal action for failing to properly keep an eye on their daughter.
Speaking to Russian media, a family member said: “The case is starting to take an interesting turn. In Turkey, both parents are accused of second-degree murder – they are saying we did not look after the child.”
The parents are being given aid by the Oleg Deripaska Foundation to deal with the legal nightmare that is developing in Turkey.
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Story By: Anna Guran, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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