Turkish soap star Ece Irtem, best known for playing Isil in the hit series Cranberry Sherbet, died from fatal levels of alcohol in her blood, not from a monkey bite, a post-mortem examination has revealed.
Autopsy findings
The forensic investigation found 395 milligrams of alcohol per decilitre (mg/dl) of blood in her system, nearly eight times Turkey's legal drink-driving limit of 50 mg/dl. A blood alcohol concentration of around 395 mg/dl, or approximately 0.40 per cent BAC, is considered medically critical and close to levels that are frequently fatal.
The report also found therapeutic levels of prescription antidepressant and anti-anxiety medications in her blood and urine. Experts concluded that the combination of the exceptionally high alcohol level and the prescribed medication created a powerful depressant effect on her central nervous system, ultimately causing her breathing and heart function to shut down. In addition, Irtem suffered pulmonary aspiration, meaning stomach contents entered her windpipe and lungs after she lost consciousness, causing her to asphyxiate.
Monkey bite speculation
Before her death, Irtem had revealed she was taking medication after being bitten by a monkey on holiday in Thailand. Her lawyer, Ugur Gokkoyun, confirmed she had been bitten by a monkey during a trip to Thailand on May 27 and had begun a 21-day course of preventative medication before safely stopping it after 11 days. However, the forensic investigation found no evidence linking the monkey bite to her death.
Circumstances of death
Irtem was found dead by her mother on June 15, the day after celebrating her 35th birthday. Just one day before her death, she had thanked fans on social media for their birthday messages. Born in Sivas, central Turkey, Irtem graduated from Yasar University's Opera and Vocal Studies Department before training as an actress. She began her television career in 2014 and appeared in series including Runaway Brides, That's My Life, New Bride, Payitaht Abdulhamid, Mr Wrong, The Prisoner, Forbidden Apple and Cranberry Sherbet.
Aftermath and tributes
After the post-mortem examination, Irtem's body was released to her father, Vural Irtem. She was later buried at Yenikoy Cemetery in Kusadasi, in Aydin province on Turkey's Aegean coast. Her sudden death prompted an outpouring of tributes from colleagues and fans across Turkey's entertainment industry.
