Foreign authorities break silence after body of mom who died while on vacation is returned 'with heart missing'
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Featured Image Credit: GoFundMe
Foreign authorities have spoken out after the body of a mom who was on vacation with her family in Turkey is returned home with her 'heart missing'.
A British family say they have endured the 'deepest level of trauma' after a young mom-of-two died while on vacation in Turkey and was returned home with one of her major organs missing.
Beth Martin became unwell on the flight on April 27, and was rushed to Marmara University Hospital in Istanbul not long after arriving.
Tragically, the 28-year-old died just days later, but her husband Luke - who accompanied Beth alongside their two young children, aged eight and five - said they endured another nightmare with the Turkish authorities, accusing the hospital of removing her heart with 'no explanation' or consent.
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Now, the Turkish Ministry of Health has broken its silence on the ordeal, stating that Beth died of a 'cardiac arrest due to multiple organ failures', according to the Daily Mail.
Officials have further stated she did not 'undergo any surgical procedures' during the preliminary autopsy at the hospital, but did not confirm or deny if this took place when she was transferred to the Forensic Medicine Institute for a second autopsy.
The full statement reads: "The patient was recorded in the hospital records as a 'forensic case' in line with the statement of Martin's wife that they may have been poisoned by a meal they ate in their country before the trip, and the initial findings."
"A preliminary autopsy [without incision] was performed at the hospital in accordance with the forensic case procedure and his wife's request in this regard.
"The exact cause of Martin's death could not be determined with the current findings in the preliminary autopsy, which was carried out with the participation of the Public Prosecutor and the forensic medicine doctor.
"Beth Martin did not undergo any surgical procedures during her treatment at the hospital, and there was no question of any organs being removed."
However, Beth's family say they are left with more questions than answers.
Luke said he was 'banned' from seeing Beth while she was in intensive care, and fears the hospital may have administered her penicillin, which he said he told medics that she was allergic to.
Her husband was also quizzed by cops on whether he had poisoned her. He only learned of her death upon his release via a written statement.
He claims he was also allowed just 'one minute, no more' with Beth in the morgue before allegedly having to carry her body bag with the help of a translator through the hospital.
It was then another battle just to get the mom-of-two's body back home - when British coroners determined her heart was missing.
A GoFundMe for the family accuse the Turkish hospital of having 'removed it' with 'no explanation' or consent.
A medical negligence investigation has since been launched for The Marmara Pendik hospital over her unexplained death, the family added, while English coroners could take up to six months to determine what caused her organs to fail.
In a Facebook post, Luke added: "It has been the worst and most traumatic week of my entire life, and to top it off.. I had to break the news to my babies that their mum is not coming home, it broke me."
The GoFundMe has since raised £256,020 (roughly $346,753) at the time of writing, and can be donated to here.
UNILAD has contacted the Turkish Ministry of Health for further comment.