Now 18 years after Kazimiera Zaremba vanished while traveling from Bełchatów to Vilnius, a September 2022 sighting of an older woman near Vilnius’s Oval Gate prompts authorities to reopen the case.
2012 Vanishing During Pilgrimage
On 28 September 2012, 55 pilgrims—including 79‑year‑old Kazimiera Zaremba—set off from Bełchatów to Vilnius. During one of the pilgrimages, Kazimiera left the chapel and never rejoined the group. The priest led the remaining pilgrims to Lithuania without reporting the disappearance to authorities or notifying her family.
Post‑Trip Footage Reveals Late Arrival
Later surveillance footage showed Kazimiera arriving at the gathering point an hour after the bus had left. She was then seen at a local petrol station, where attendants described her as calm and unafraid. The next day, cameras captured her near a housing block, where she told a guard she was tired and cold. The final recorded image shows her stumbling in a parking lot, attempting to reach her car while appearing confused.
Local Sighting Near Oval Gate
A Facebook group called “Missing Years Ago” posted on 6 September 2022 that an older, short‑statured woman was seen near the Oval Gate in Vilnius, sitting against a wall and collecting money. The woman spoke clear Polish with no eastern accent.
Facebook Call‑out for Witnesses
The group urged anyone present in Vilnius at the time to come forward: “If you recognize the woman or have any information, please contact us. Even the smallest detail could be key.” The post notes uncertainty about whether the woman is Kazimiera Zaremba but highlights the similarities and circumstances as reasons to investigate further.