The haunting holiday: Mystery deepens after British woman dies during Turkish trip but returns without heart
A trip turned into a nightmarish mystery for a British family after 28-year-old Beth Martin, a mother of two, died suddenly in Turkey and returned home without her heart.
Beth had only just touched down in Istanbul on April 27 when she began feeling unwell during her flight from the UK.
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Brushing it off as food poisoning, she pressed on with her trip. But within hours of arriving, she reportedly became "delirious" and was rushed to Marmara University Pendik Education and Research Hospital.
She died the following day, April 28.
Turkish authorities say Martin suffered "cardiac arrest due to multiple organ failure," but have not provided any explanation for what triggered the rapid health deterioration.
The situation took a bizarre turn when British coroners informed Beth's husband, Luke Martin, that her heart was missing from her chest when her body was repatriated.
"It was the most unimaginable news. How does a hospital not know what happened to a patient's heart?" Luke told the Daily Mail, expressing disbelief and frustration with the Turkish authorities, who he claims were evasive and even initially suspected him of poisoning his wife.
In response to mounting media scrutiny, Turkey's ministry of health issued a statement denying any wrongdoing. They claimed Beth had not undergone any surgical procedure and refuted reports that her heart had been removed. However, they did not address why her heart was allegedly missing when examined in the UK.
Beth's family has also raised concerns that she may have been given penicillin despite being allergic to it, a potential oversight that could have triggered her organ failure.
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These questions, coupled with the lack of clarity from Turkish officials, have prompted an investigation into the hospital.
The case now spans two countries, with British coroners expected to take up to six months to determine the official cause of death. Meanwhile, Beth's grieving family is left in limbo, demanding answers and accountability.
"She was a healthy young mother who went on a holiday and never came back," said a family member. "We just want to know what really happened to Beth."
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