Fugitive Turkish mother, underage driver son spotted laughing in New York after fleeing over fatal accident

The 17-year-old son and his mother Eylem Tok, who both fled to the USA after the son caused the death of a person while driving without a license, were spotted laughing in New York. Turkey initiated an extradition process for both of them.

Thursday March 14 2024 05:05 pm

Duvar English

The 17-year-old son and his mother Eylem Tok who fled Turkey after the underage driver killed one and injured four in a car accident has been spotted in New York, United States.

The underage boy crashed his luxury jeep into a group of people who were checking their ATV motorbike in the safety lane in Istanbul, causing the death of Murat Aci.

Razi Canikligil, a journalist living in the USA, shared the photographs of the fugitive mother and son while taking a taxi on his X account.

Canikligil wrote, "Eylem Tok and her son T.C, who fled to the US, are in New York. Seen at the corner of 57th Street and 6th Avenue, the fugitive mother and son were seen laughing while being photographed."

ABD’ye kaçan Eylem Tok ve oğlu Timur Cihantimur, New York’talar. 57. sokak ve 6. Avenue köşesinde görülen kaçak anne oğul fotoğrafları çekilirken gülmeleri dikkat çekti. pic.twitter.com/edBMX4t3gF
— Razi Canikligil (@canikligil) March 13, 2024

In the investigation initiated after the accident, authorities arrested one person and banned two people, including the father of the killer, from traveling abroad.

A Turkish court requested the arrest of the son and mother. The minor was charged with “reckless killing and multiple injuries,” whereas the mother was charged with “abetting the criminal.”

"The provisional arrest request prepared for the extradition of the said people from the U.S. to our country has been submitted to the U.S authorities both through diplomatic channels and through Interpol," Justice Minister Tunç said after the accident.

The father of the murdered Murat Aci made a statement to the press on March 13 after meeting with the prosecutor and stated that the killer’s family had contacted them indirectly, "I was told that they were with us financially and morally. We said they can come leaving the financial part aside.”

Father Aci stated that a family friend of theirs has been called and added, "They indirectly told me that they would come to pay condolences, yet I repeated the same message. When the mother and child would come and turn themselves in, they will be welcomed to come and pay condolences in the next day."