Three people in a Zgierz foster family face charges for particularly cruel abuse of an 8-year-old boy.
Charges Filed
The Zgierz District Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, February 13, charged a 31-year-old woman and 40-year-old man who form a foster family, along with their 39-year-old friend, with particularly cruel abuse of an 8-year-old boy. The prosecutor requested their temporary detention due to fears of evidence tampering and potential flight risk, as they face up to 10 years in prison.
Responses to Charges
Prosecutor Paweł Jasiak, spokesman for the District Prosecutor’s Office in Łódź, stated that the woman did not admit to the charges and gave explanations inconsistent with collected evidence. The 39-year-old friend also denied the abuse allegations but admitted to using what he called “educational” physical punishment methods.
Abuse Details
The Zgierz family was spending winter holidays in the Myślenice district when a passerby filmed an 8-year-old boy in freezing temperatures, dressed only in pajamas and socks, and alerted authorities. When police visited the apartment on February 11, they found the foster parents with seven children aged 1-10 and the 39-year-old man with his 8-year-old daughter. The boy had numerous injuries on his head, back, chest, and buttocks. According to evidence, he was verbally abused, beaten with wooden objects, and subjected to punishments like kneeling naked or standing outside in the cold for forgetting to walk the dog or losing underwear.
Child’s Testimony
The 8-year-old was questioned in a “blue room” with a judge and psychologist present. An expert prepared a comprehensive opinion confirming that the child’s injuries were related to severe domestic violence. All statements the child made in court were corroborated by the expert’s objective assessment.
Additional Victims
The other children in the foster family will also be interviewed. If they are found to be victims, the prosecutor may expand the charges. Police determined that the 39-year-old man present had a history of beating children and yelling at them when upset. All eight children, including seven foster children and the daughter of the detained man, have been placed under alternative care arrangements.