British woman’s heart examined in Istanbul amid ‘missing organ’ claims

ISTANBUL

Turkish forensic authorities are examining the heart of a British tourist who died suddenly in Istanbul last month to determine the exact cause of death amid speculation in the U.K. media over claims that the organ had gone “missing.”

The woman, identified as 29-year-old Beth Martin, had reportedly suffered food poisoning before traveling to Türkiye.

She sought medical help on April 28 at an Istanbul hospital and died the next day while under treatment.

Following a postmortem and autopsy on April 30, her body was handed over to her husband, Luke Martin, on May 1.

According to forensic sources, no signs of recent trauma were found on the body, and the autopsy revealed no clear cause of death.

Due to the heart’s higher-than-expected weight relative to Beth’s age and the absence of any immediate findings, forensic teams launched a detailed investigation and preserved her heart for further testing.

The cause of death is still undetermined, with a final report expected within seven to 15 days.

Beth’s heart will be returned to the family once the analysis is complete, Turkish officials confirmed.

The case has sparked controversy in the U.K., where media reports claimed that the heart had been removed without the family’s knowledge.

Some headlines quoted a family friend who accused Turkish authorities of “stealing her heart and lying about the incident.” A fundraising page has been set up to support legal action in Türkiye.

In response, Türkiye’s Health Ministry stated that a preliminary autopsy without incisions was performed at the hospital, no surgical procedures or organ removal took place during treatment and the prosecutor later ordered a full autopsy at the forensic medicine institution.

Speaking to daily Milliyet, Turkish forensic experts emphasized that retaining and analyzing the heart in unexplained deaths of young individuals is a standard international practice.

They confirmed that explaining autopsy steps to the family falls under the responsibility of the prosecutor overseeing the case.