A 17-year-old suspect, identified only as T.C., who was involved in a traffic accident earlier in March that left one dead and four injured in İstanbul, was spotted in New York City with his mother, writer Eylem Tok.
Tok and her 17-year-old son, who was driving the car involved in the accident that resulted in the death of Oğuz Murat Aci and the injury of four other people, flew to Egypt together on the night of the accident on March 1. Tok and her then went to the United States.
16-year-old Timur Cihantimur and his mother Eylem Tok, who killed a person in Turkiye last week and fled to the USA, were seen in New York.
Eylem Tok and her son Timur Cihantimur, who escaped to the USA, are in New York. The laughter of the runaway mother and son, seen on the… pic.twitter.com/oIDohrFS5j
— The Spot (@Spotnewsth) March 14, 2024
Ayşe Ceren A., who allegedly drove the car that took Eylem Tok and her son T.C. to the İstanbul airport, was detained and subsequently arrested.
Tok and T.C., who are also US citizens according to Turkish media reports, were spotted by Gözde G., a Turkish New Yorker, walking on the corner of 6th Avenue and 57th Street in Manhattan.
In an interview with Voice of America’s Turkish edition (VOA Türkçe), Gözde G. said she recognized the teenager and later confirmed his identity when she saw his mother nearby. She said they appeared relaxed until they realized they were being photographed, at which point they quickly hailed a cab and headed towards 7th Avenue.
Gözde G. also said she contacted the Turkish Consulate General in New York City to report the sighting of the mother and son.
The legal process to extradite the teenager and his mother to Turkey could take several years, according to reports citing Turkish Justice Minister Yılmaz Tunç and legal experts in New York. The process involves several stages and depends on various legal criteria, including the seriousness of the alleged crime and the submission of comprehensive evidence by Turkey to the US authorities.
Legal expert Cahit Akbulut told VOA Türkçe that the extradition process can be complex and lengthy, as the legal systems of both countries are involved and Turkey must provide extensive evidence. In addition, the fact that T.C. and his mother are US citizens could influence the final decision since bilateral agreements allow for some discretion in the extradition of nationals.
Akbulut also speculated that the family could voluntarily return to Turkey once the public attention subsides, potentially rendering extradition unnecessary.
In this context, T.C.’s father, Bülent Cihantimur, gave a statement to the authorities as part of the ongoing investigation into the accident. He expressed regret over the incident and pledged support for the victim’s family. He also said he hoped his son would return to Turkey to stand trial. The prosecutor asked the court to put Cihantimur under judicial supervision because it’s suspected that he helped his son and ex-wife flee the country.