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Foster parents in murder case

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A husband and wife face murder and child abuse charges after two foster children in their care died in suspicious circumstances in just a matter of weeks.

The Puck couple, known only as Anna and Wieslaw Cz., will remain behind bars for at least three months as the investigation into the deaths of three-year-old Kacper and five-year-old Klaudia continue.

The PAP news service quoted Piotr Styczewski, the Puck district prosecutor, saying that the couple had confessed to a number of charges including child abuse, inflicting fatal injuries and murder, with the murder charge relating to the death of the girl.

Kacper died on July 3 after he allegedly fell down the stairs at the family home, passing away despite extensive attempts by an ambulance crew to revive him. At the time his death was recorded as an unfortunate accident and it was not until Klaudia died on September 12 from head injuries sustained, the foster parents at first claimed, from falling in the bath were the suspicions of police and prosecutors roused.

An autopsy on the boy revealed he had extensive internal and external injuries consistent with a severe beating although prosecutors believe the parents did not intend to kill him.

Judge Izabela Frackowiak-Aleksiejew of the District Court spoke out in detail about the injuries inflicted on the boy.

“He was struck in the stomach with considerable force by a fist and hit and kicked in the head. The blows to the stomach caused part of the liver to rupture which resulted in internal bleeding. This was a violent death.”

Chief District Prosecutor Piotr Styczewski also stated that the girl’s injuries could not have been made by a fall.

“In this case, experts have said that such an accident would not cause this. This was caused by other actions.”

But as the investigation continues questions have been raised as to how and why the couple were allowed to foster five children on top of having two children of their own. The local social services reported they had passed the intensive and rigorous selection procedure without any hint of trouble, but neighbours of the family said they knew all was not well.

“They said all the conditions were met, but they weren’t,” a neighbour from the same street, identified only as Bogdan, told Onet. “Their house wasn’t finished, he didn’t have a job and she was on maternity leave.”

Another neighbour said that suspicions about Anna’s suitability to be a foster mother had long been in circulation.

“Long before the tragedy Anna’s sister was saying that Anna was unsuitable [as a foster mother] and the fact that they were doing it for money and not for love says a lot,” said an unnamed neighbour of the family.

2012 Sep 21