Murder Charge Dropped Against Victorian Woman Following Sleep Disorder Evidence

Prosecutors discontinue case against Ilknur Caliskan after expert report on parasomnia suggests she may have acted involuntarily.

Ilknur Caliskan, 47, was accused of stabbing her husband, Serdar Caliskan, during a camping trip in September 2023 at Mount Disappointment, Victoria.
Prosecutors dropped the murder charge after reviewing a sleep study report indicating she may have been affected by parasomnia, a disorder involving unconscious actions during sleep.
Caliskan's lawyers argued she was not acting in a conscious or voluntary state when the incident occurred, relying on parasomnia as a defense.
The court discontinued the case during a brief administrative hearing, and no further details were provided on the decision to drop the charges.
Caliskan, who had no prior history of violence or criminal behavior, was released on bail in 2024 to undergo the sleep study, which became key evidence in the case.