Jasmin Kuczynska, 12, and her seven-year-old sister were both found dead at a house in Costessey, Norfolk.
Jasmin Kuczynska, 12, and her seven-year-old sister were both found dead at a house in Costessey, Norfolk.
WARNING: Article contains family violence and death of children.
A United Kingdom police force has referred itself to the watchdog after it failed to respond to a 999 call an hour before four members of the same family were found dead.
Norfolk Police confirmed today that a 999 call had been made by a man from a home in Costessey, near Norwich, an hour before a concerned member of the public raised the alarm but “police resources were not deployed”.
Officers were only sent to the house after receiving a second call at 7am from a member of the public concerned about the people inside. The four bodies were found after police broke in at 7.15am.
Two young sisters described as “beautiful girls” were among those killed and were identified locally as Jasmin Kuczynska, 12, and her 7-year-old sister. They both attended local schools and were often seen walking around.
They were found alongside their father Bartlomiej Kuczynski, 45, and a 36-year-old woman.
The girls were found alongside their father Bartlomiej Kuczynski, 45, and a 36-year-old woman.
The force referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct due to police contact at the address on December 14 which related to Kuczynski going missing.
The force also made a second referral to the watchdog after admitting officers had failed to respond to a 999 call on the day of the suspected murder-suicide.
Well-wishers including crying girls left flowers in the family’s memory outside their home.
Detectives have confirmed that the four who died in the “isolated incident” were two girls, a man and a woman who all had injuries.
Officers said they were from the same family and that the two girls and the man lived in the semi-detached house while the woman who died was “visiting and didn’t live at the property”.
Kuczynski’s Thai-born wife Nanthaka Kuczynska, who was known as Nan, had reportedly not been seen by neighbours for months.
Others said that her sister had recently moved in to help care for the girls and Polish-born structural engineer Kuczynski who had been suffering from mental health issues.
“It is just awful,” Jocelyn Atienza, 50, a mother-of-two who lives nearby said. “The two girls were lovely sisters and beautiful girls.
“They were nice girls who were a little shy. We used to see them walking around together. They would look really happy when they were out with friends.
“The older one would catch the bus to school, and her little sister would walk to the primary school by herself.
“Their mother was friendly and we always used to say hi hello to each other in the street, but I have not seen her around for some time.
“She always used to put up decorations for Halloween and Christmas outside their home, but her husband was putting up decorations instead of her last December.”
Jasmin was a pupil at Taverham High School while her sister was a pupil at the Queen’s Hill Primary School on the Queen’s Hill estate where they lived.
Kuczynski is understood to have lived in Britain for the last 20 years after graduating from Wroclaw University of Technology in Poland.
His home remained cordoned off by police today as white-suited forensic officers were seen going in and out of a large white tent erected beside the front door.
Jasmin Kuczynska, 12, who has been named locally as one of the four people found dead at a house in Costessey, Norfolk.
The Bishop of Norwich the Right Reverend Graham Usher said wanted to offer “prayers for all impacted by this tragic news, especially the wider family and people from Costessey”.
He added: “I’ve spoken to our local clergy who are offering support in the communities they serve and will be opening churches for those who want to come and pray/talk.”
A force spokesperson said: “Yesterday, officers confirmed the incident had been referred to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC), as per standard procedure, due to police contact at the address on 14 December which related to a missing person inquiry.
“A second referral has been made to the IOPC today [January 20] following the identification of a 999 call made yesterday morning at 6am by a man at the address and police resources were not deployed.”
Detectives investigating ‘the circumstances of the incident’
The force said it was carrying out additional uniformed patrols in Costessey as “detectives continue to investigate the circumstances of the incident”.
The spokesperson added: “A police cordon remains in place and forensic investigations will continue today inside the property.
“Detectives have been carrying out house-to-house inquiries, speaking with witnesses and are continuing to examine local CCTV footage.”
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Burgess, from the Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team, is leading the enquiry and has thanked the local community for their support.
He said: “We’ve had a heavy police presence in the area since yesterday morning and there’s understandably concern in the local community.
“However, their help and support in the investigation has been unwavering and on behalf of everyone involved in this devastating incident, we’re extremely grateful for that.
“Today, the focus of our inquiries remains at the address and we’re examining local CCTV.
“While we’re still piecing together what’s happened, at this stage we remain satisfied that this is an isolated incident.
“We’re aware of commentary on social media and in news media, however, I would emphasise that formal identification is yet to take place.
“As I said yesterday, we believe the man and two children lived at the address, and while the woman was staying there, she wasn’t a permanent resident.”
Post-mortem examinations are due to be held “in due course” to establish the cause of the deaths.
