A Warsaw court has upheld the acquittal of three officials charged with negligence in the death of a six-month-old girl after a tree branch fell in a park on August 20, 2018.
Court Ruling
The Warsaw-Praga District Court on September 23, 2025, upheld the acquittal of three officials accused of negligence in the death of a six-month-old girl after a tree branch fell in the Praska Park on August 20, 2018.
The court cited “extraordinary circumstances” that could not have been prevented, and noted that if the family had arrived at the park 10 minutes earlier or later, the tragedy would not have occurred.
Case Background
The incident occurred on August 20, 2018, when a heavy branch of a maple tree fell on a bench in Praska Park where a mother was resting with her six-month-old daughter and partner.
The mother suffered severe injuries, including head and spine trauma, and an open leg fracture, and has not regained full mobility. The daughter, Lilianna, died three days later on August 23, 2018.
Charges and Trial
The accused officials included two horticulture specialists from the Warsaw Green Space Management (Celinie Ch. and Agata M.), who were charged with unintentional negligence and creating a state of danger, and Marek P., the former director of the unit, who was charged with intentional actions, including improper organization of work and supervision over tree condition assessment.
The trial began in August 2020, and in July 2023, the Warsaw-Praga District Court acquitted all the accused; the prosecutor’s office and the subsidiary prosecutor filed an appeal.
