Cevher Toktas' son died 'from COVID-19'. 11 days later, he admitted to killing him.

This post deals with family violence and might be triggering for some readers.

When the son of Cevher Toktas passed away, it was not treated as suspicious.

In the northwestern province of Bursa, Turkey, five-year-old Kasim Toktas had been treated in a children’s hospital for a suspected infection of COVID-19, before he suddenly passed away.

Prior to his death, he had a cough and a high fever, and was isolating with his father, Cevher Toktas, who is a former top-tier soccer player in Turkey.

On April 24, Cevher Toktas called the hospital to explain his son’s condition had dramatically declined, and was struggling to breathe. He was rushed to the intensive care unit, where he died two hours later, according to CBS.

Despite testing negative to coronavirus, authorities didn’t suspect any criminal activity had taken place.

But on May 4, 11 days later, Cevher Toktas had a confession to make. He had killed his five-year-old son by smothering him with a pillow. He handed himself in to police out of remorse, and was later arrested.

Toktas explained his motive for murdering his son was because he merely did not love him, according to Spanish publication AS. 

"I never loved him, even when he was born, and I can't state why, I have no mental issues," the 32-year-old allegedly told authorities, according to the Spanish outlet.

"I held a pillow to his head and held it with force for 15 minutes without stopping. My son struggled for a while and when he stopped I removed the pillow," he said, recounting the horrific details of his crime.

"I then called the doctors so as they would not be suspicious."

Kasim Toktas' body has been buried, but will be exhumed for an autopsy amid ongoing investigations into the murder, Associated Press reports.

His father, Cevher Toktas, will be tried for murder and if found guilty, will face life in prison.

Toktas played for the Hacettepe soccer team, who competed in the Turkish top-tier Super League, between 2007 and 2009. Prior to the pandemic, he had been playing for amateur league team Bursa Yildirimspor.

If this post brings up any issues for you, or if you just feel like you need to speak to someone, please call 1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732) – the national sexual assault, domestic and family violence counselling service. It doesn’t matter where you live, they will take your call and, if need be, refer you to a service closer to home.

Feature image: AAP.

Sign up for the "Mamamia Daily" newsletter. Get across the stories women are talking about today.