A referral has been made to the police watchdog today over the deaths of a family in Norfolk – after police failed to attend a 999 call made from the address where their bodies were later found.
Bartlomiej Kuczynski, 45, and his daughters aged 12 and seven, were found dead yesterday inside the house in Costessey, near Norwich, alongside a 36-year-old woman whose identity has not yet been disclosed.
Norfolk Police confirmed they had received a call from a man at the address at 6am but officers did not attend.
Police were only sent to the house after receiving a second call at 7am from a member of the public, who was concerned about the people inside.
The four injured bodies were found when police broke in at 7.15am.
As a result, Norfolk Police confirmed that it had referred itself to the Independent Office of Police Conduct (IOPC).
Bartlomiej Kuczynski (right), 45, was found dead with his two daughters and a woman. He is pictured with one of his girls and a woman
Jasmin Kuczynski, 12, and her sister, seven, were described as ‘beautiful girls’ by neighbours
Forensic investigators pictured today at the house in Costessey, Norfolk, where four bodies were found yesterday
Norfolk Police admitted that it had received a call from a man at the address at 6am yesterday but they did not attend. Officers were only deployed following a second phone call from a member of the public shortly before 7am
A cordon remains in place along with a ‘heavy police presence’ and forensic teams are continuing to investigate inside the property
READ MORE: FATHER FOUND DEAD IN NORWICH HOME ‘WENT MISSING’ BEFORE CHRISTMAS
The force said a separate IOPC referral had already been made over their involvement with the family on December 14, when Mr Kuczynski was reported to have gone missing and was later found wandering nearby.
A Norfolk Police spokesman said: ‘A second referral has been made to the IOPC today following the identification of a 999 call made yesterday morning at 6am by a man at the address and police resources were not deployed.
‘Officers had been called to the address shortly before 7am after a member of the public called police to raise concerns for the welfare of people inside.
‘Police arrived on scene at around 7.15am and forced entry to the address, finding the bodies of two young girls, a 45-year-old man and a 36-year-old woman.’
Post-mortem examinations will be held on all four bodies to establish cause of death.
A cordon remains in place along with a ‘heavy police presence’ and forensic teams are continuing to investigate inside the property.
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Burgess said: ‘There’s understandably concern in the local community.
‘Today, the focus of our enquiries 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.’
Police have requested anyone who may have been in the Allan Bedford Crescent area earlier that morning to come forward with information.
Bartlomiej Kuczynski who was found dead with his two girls (pictured) at their home
The family were named locally by neighbours who told of their shock at the tragedy
Bartlomiej Kuczynski, 45, and his two children were found inside the home in Costessey
Mr Kuczynski is pictured with his two girls – who were found dead – and a woman
The four bodies were discovered inside in the Norfolk suburb of Costessey by police
The family lived together on Allan Bedford Crescent at Queen’s Hills, a new estate in Costessey
The two children believed to have been killed were today described by neighbours as ‘beautiful girls’.
The girls were identified locally as Jasmin Kuczynska, 12, and her seven-year-old sister who attended local schools and were often seen walking around.
Well-wishers including some crying girls left flowers in their memory today beside the police cordon outside their semi-detached home.
Mr 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 Mr Kuczynski who had been suffering from mental health issues.
Mother-of-two Jocelyn Atienza, 50, who lives nearby said: ‘It is just awful. 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.
Police at the scene in Costessey, Norfolk, yesterday after four bodies were found at a property
The four bodies were discovered inside in the Norfolk suburb of Costessey by police yesterday
‘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.
Mr 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.
The Bishop of Norwich the Right Rev 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 spoke 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 or talk.’
Locals told of their shock following the discovery at the property in Costessey, Norfolk
Police in Norfolk forced their way in shortly before 7am yesterday after a call from a member of the public
Police at the scene in Costessey, Norfolk, after four bodies were found at a property
Neighbours said Mr Kuczynski himself had been reported missing just before Christmas. A drone circled the area at the time and also flew over the nearby woods, with the father later found walking along the Fairway near his home.
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Burgess confirmed that Norfolk Police had previously made contact with the family before Christmas after a missing persons’ report was lodged.
One near neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: ‘There were five or six police cars outside their house. People were looking for him and then another neighbour found him walking up the hill round the corner.
‘The sister-in-law then came round to help look after him. I think he had mental health issues at the time he went missing. People were talking about how he was not well.
‘They were a very quiet couple and did not seem to speak to other people.
‘It is just awful that kids are involved. The first I knew about something happening was when police knocked on my door this morning and asked if we had heard anything.’