The trial of police officers has started in the death of 14-year-old Natalia from Andrychów

The girl died in the fall of 2023 in the center of Andrychów. Her father did not come to court for the first hearing.

Request to exclude disclosure

Before the first hearing, the defendants' lawyers asked for the proceedings to be closed. Assessor Konrad Wszołek decided to do this partially. Behind closed doors, the court will hear primarily the accused.

In June, investigators from the Krakow district prosecutor's office sent an indictment against two police officers from Andrychów - the officer on duty and the commander of the police station - and one who was on duty at the police station in Kęty.

On Monday, prosecutor Oliwia Bożek-Michalec read it in court.

Natalia felt bad on the way to school

On November 28, 2023, 14-year-old Natalia left for school in the morning. There was a bitter frost at that time. She felt bad on the way. She called her father saying she didn't know where he was. Then she didn't answer anymore.

The parent notified the police early in the morning. He had to wait about an hour for action to be taken. The child was found by a friend of the father around 1 p.m., half a kilometer from the police station. A 14-year-old girl was sitting next to one of the supermarkets in Andrychów. She was taken to the University Children's Hospital in Krakow. She was hypothermic. Doctors were unable to save her life. She died a day later.

After Natalia's death, experts found that the girl had comorbidities. She had cerebral edema caused by massive intracerebellar bleeding.

Prosecutor's Office: The policemen did not undertake official duties

Prosecutors found that the police, after receiving information about the circumstances of the girl's disappearance and the possible threat, "did not undertake the official activities to which they were obliged." In their opinion, the defendants adopted incorrect grounds for the search and did not initiate any action. In particular, they did not direct police patrols to search for them and did not immediately order the location of the girl's mobile phone.

Prosecutor Oliwia Bożek-Michalec pointed out before the hearing that the girl's phone was working.

Ordering a location, at least in the prosecutor's opinion, could have accelerated finding her, she said.

Investigators indicated in the indictment that the officers' failure to fulfill their duties led to their unintentional exposure of the minor to direct danger of loss of life or serious bodily harm.

The defendants do not confess

The defendants did not plead guilty to the crimes charged during the investigation. They face three years in prison.

Prosecutors brought charges against another Andrychów policeman. These materials have been excluded from separate proceedings.

After the girl's death, the police conducted six disciplinary proceedings. The first one ended at the turn of January and February 2024. The officer on duty from the Kęty police station subordinated to the Oświęcim police station voluntarily submitted to punishment. He was reprimanded for failing to fulfill his duties.

The remaining proceedings concerned four police officers from Andrychów and one from Wadowice. The officer on duty at the Andrychów police station was charged with failing to fulfill his official duties, which was confirmed. He received a disciplinary penalty of a warning. The proceedings against the policeman from Andrychów who received the missing person's report were conducted for improper performance of official duties. He was acquitted. The same accusation was heard by an officer from the police station in Wadowice, who was supposed to inspect the activities undertaken by police officers from Andrychów. This was confirmed, but he was not punished.

The commander of the police station in Andrychów was also charged with neglect of official duties and failure to fulfill duties. The proceedings were suspended due to his health condition, and ultimately discontinued because the policeman left the service.

The officers also investigated the case of a policeman from the criminal department in Andrychów, who was accused of violating official discipline. He allegedly refused to carry out an official order. He was acquitted.