Turkish Soccer Player Confesses to Smothering Five-Year-Old Son Who Was in Hospital With COVID-19

A Turkish soccer player has confessed to murdering his own child in his hospital bed.

Former Süper Lig player Cevher Toktaş, 32, told police he smothered his five-year-old son Kasim with a pillow, 11 days after he was thought to have died from COVID-19.

He reportedly told police he did it because he didn't love him, and never did.

According to Hurriyet, Toktaş admitted the child to hospital on April 23 with a cough and high fever; the pair were immediately quarantined in accordance with coronavirus procedures.

Later in the day, Toktaş ran from the room calling for help from doctors, claiming his son was having breathing difficulty.

He was rushed to intensive care were medics battled for almost two hours to save his live, but he passed away.

His death was ruled a complication from COVID-19.

On April 29, Toktaş posted a picture of his son's makeshift grave, as his other young son watered its flowers, with the caption: "Don't depend on the world."

But on May 4th, Toktaş went to a local police station, where he confessed to murdering his son, the Daily Sabah reported.

"I pressed a pillow on my son who was lying on his back. For 15 minutes, I pressed down on the pillow without lifting it up," his statement read, according to the publication. "My son was struggling during that time."

"After he stopped moving, I lifted the pillow. Then I yelled for doctors to help to draw any suspicions away from me."

He told police that he was confessing after his guilty conscience got the better of him. He said his wife and his father were both unaware he had murdered the child.

When asked why he did it, Toktaş replied he "didn't love him."

"I never loved my younger son after he was born. I don't know why I don't love him. The sole reason why I killed him that day is because I didn't like him."

He insisted to police that he did not suffer with mental health issues, and that he didn't have a problem with his other son or his wife.

Toktaş, who plays as a defender for club Bursa Yıldırımspor, was arrested and is due to stand trial for murder; if found guilty he could be jailed for life.

Authorities have ordered Kasim's body to be exhumed for autopsy.

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