Cruel scheme by buddies’ involved beating a girl, 15, before she died by jumping over a cliff
In a horrifying turn of events, 15-year-old Elif Cakal, expecting an enjoyable drive with friends, instead met a tragic and violent end, falling victim to a sinister scheme executed by four individuals she considered friends.
Cakal believed she was embarking on a casual drive with two friends and two boys. They paused near a perilous rockface in Turkey, a location notorious for its danger. However, what was supposed to be a leisurely outing masked a terrifying plan; one of her friends had conspired with one of the boys to film an assault on Cakal, prosecutors revealed to the Istanbul 18th Heavy Penal Court on September 18th.
In a chilling escalation, Cakal plummeted over the cliff edge, losing her life in a tragic fall. Initially, the four acquaintances crafted a deceitful narrative for the police, alleging that a presumably intoxicated Cakal had leaped off the cliff herself in June 2021.
Their deceptive veil crumbled when harrowing video footage surfaced, displaying the brutal onslaught on Cakal, which, according to court statements, precipitated her death. Prosecutors are accusing all four alleged friends of intentional child killing, deprivation of liberty, and provision of health-threatening substances.
According to a report by Mirror on Monday, October 2, 2023, Ufuk Boku and Gyrkan Kalmaz, the two boys, now adults, might face up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Similarly, demands have been made for the two underaged girls, identified as Tuana Y. and Senem T., to serve 22-year sentences.
The gut-wrenching video unveils a dark plot, capturing Senem T. allegedly coordinating with one boy to document the violent beating of Cakal. The footage starkly displays the physical assault, showcasing a terrified Cakal, enduring blows and pleas for mercy, going unheard.
Hacer Cakal, Elif’s mother, later asserted that the girls had physically forced her daughter off the cliff, sharing that her daughter had previously been the target of death threats. The prosecution expanded the accusations against the female defendants, asserting they intentionally brought an intoxicated Cakal to a treacherous location.
Despite the inability of forensic experts to determine medically whether she fell amidst the assault or from resultant injuries, the traumatic event and emerging evidence have shattered the initial suicide narrative presented by the defendants. After the court session, an anguished Hacer Cakal lamented, “They staged it as suicide. They subjected my child to hell. What kind of humanity is this? These people cannot be human. How were they raised to be so barbaric by these families? I also demand the families be punished.”
As the case unfolds, it reflects not only a personal tragedy for Cakal’s family but also pierces the community, provoking contemplation about trust, friendship, and the darker aspects of human capability.