Nurses charged over the death of 20-day-old baby mistakenly fed with alcohol instead of water released on bail

Five Turkish Cypriot nurses who were arrested following the death of a 20-day-old infant and the serious condition of six other babies who were fed formula mistakenly mixed with ethanol at the Dr. Burhan Nalbantoğlu Emergency Hospital in Lefkosa were brought back to the Lefkosa District Court on Thursday.

The nurses, KY, Ç.Ş., GK, AK, and MA, were arrested on Saturday, 26th October, on charges of “Negligence”.

MA, who prepared the formula containing alcohol, AD, who administered it, and three other nurses were brought to separate hearings. The court ruled that KY, Ç.Ş., and GK could be released on bail of 1 million TL each and be tried without detention.

According to the allegations, alcohol – mistaken for water, was added during MA’s preparation of the formula, leading to the unintentional feeding of the babies. The police requested bail for the three suspects, citing negligence and carelessness.

Three babies affected by the alcohol-laced formula have since been discharged, while the other infants continue to receive treatment. Authorities confirmed that the suspects, KY, Ç.Ş., and GK, are citizens of the TRNC and have no prior criminal records.

The court set specific conditions for their release, including a ban on travel abroad, a requirement to report to the police three times a week, a 200,000 TL cash guarantee per person, and a bail bond of one million TL signed by three guarantors.

The police noted that charges against the suspects may change if any of the infants suffer long-term harm. It was reported that six other babies who were also given the tainted formula were affected but fortunately survived, were reported to be in stable condition, with their recovery progressing well.

Suspension of Both Suspects

In the investigation into the infant’s death, MA and AD, who were found responsible for mistakenly adding alcohol to the baby formula, were also present at Nicosia District Court.

The suspects, detained initially for three to seven days, reportedly did not have the chance to intervene during the investigation. Authorities stated that further developments may arise based on an expected report from Turkey.

Both healthcare workers, confirmed as TRNC citizens with no criminal records, were suspended from their positions. The court required each to post a 200,000 TL bail, provide a one million TL surety, observe a travel ban, and report to the police every five days.