One year ago, a small town was left reeling when a neighborhood in Costessey, on the outskirts of Norwich, turned into a crime scene. Police arrived at a house to a grim discovery – the bodies of four individuals, including two children, who had succumbed to fatal stab wounds. The aftermath of this tragedy and remaining investigations to be carried out have left many questions unanswered. Norfolk Police referred themselves to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after failing to promptly respond to an initial call to the address.
On December 14, 2023, Norfolk Police visited a property in Allan Bedford Crescent in Costessey as part of a missing person inquiry. It wasn’t until thirty-six days later, on January 19, that the bodies of a man, a woman, and two young girls, aged 12 and 8, were discovered at the same location. Ongoing inquiries into the actions of the police and an NHS Trust are still pending. The victims were identified as Bartlomiej Kuczynski, 45, his sister-in-law Kanticha Sukpengpanao, 36, and his daughters Jasmin Kuczynska, 12, and Natasha Kuczynska, 8. Post-mortem examinations revealed that the two girls and Ms. Sukpengpanao had died from stab wounds to the neck. Mr. Kuczynski’s cause of death was also determined to be from stab wounds, though it was not deemed suspicious by Norfolk Police.
Prior to the discovery of the bodies, a 999 call had been placed from the residence by Mr. Kuczynski, expressing confusion and concern about his mental state. However, police did not respond, advising him to seek medical assistance instead. Subsequently, officers were alerted by a member of the public and arrived to find the bodies at 07:15 GMT.
Following these tragic events, the Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust disclosed that Mr. Kuczynski was a known individual to their services. They committed to conducting a comprehensive externally-led review of the incident to identify any areas of improvement and collaborate with external investigations. Moreover, Norfolk Police faced scrutiny for their handling of the initial call and self-referred to the IOPC, resulting in a gross misconduct notice for a civilian worker.
A thorough investigation by the IOPC into Norfolk Police’s response is nearing completion and is expected to be released before spring.
Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Trust (NSFT) is actively involved in an independent investigation and a joint domestic homicide review related to the interactions with the service by Kuczynski. Anthony Deery, the trust’s chief nurse, stated that a timeline for the publication of the review is currently unavailable. The trust expressed their sympathy to all those impacted by this tragic event.
The inquests for Ms. Sukpengpanao, Jasmin, and Natasha are scheduled for June 2nd, while a separate inquest will be conducted for Mr. Kuczynski. The community eagerly awaits further details as the investigations progress.
In other news, a member of the police force has returned to duty following the recent deaths, shedding light on the ongoing developments in the case. Stay updated on Norfolk news through various platforms such as BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X for the latest updates.
For more information, visit the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC), Norfolk Police, and Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Trust websites. Stay informed as new details unfold regarding the tragic events that have gripped the community.
