Father found dead with his two daughters went missing before Christmas

2024/01/20

A father found dead at his Norfolk home yesterday with his two daughters and another woman had previously gone missing over the Christmas period.

The bodies of Bartlomiej Kuczynski, 45, and his children were found inside the house in Costessey, near Norwich, alongside that of a 36-year-old woman, who has not been identified, by police who forced their way in.

The married father worked as an engineer in the property trade and had lived in England for the past 20 years. He graduated from Wroclaw University of Technology in .

Officers said the 36-year-old woman found dead 'was visiting and didn’t live at the property'.

Mr Kuczynski's Thai-born wife Nanthaka had reportedly not been seen by neighbours for months and it is understood her sister recently moved into the family home to help care after them.

Bartlomiej Kuczynski (right), 45, was found dead with his two daughters and a woman whose identity has not yet been revealed. He is pictured with one of his girls and a woman

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 (pictured is one of the girls)

Police at the scene in Costessey, Norfolk, yesterday after four bodies were found at a property

Neighbours said Mr Kuczynski himself had been reported missing just before . 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.'

Another neighbour said: 'I get up for work at 5.20am and on the day that he later disappeared, I saw him at that time in his garage with the doors open.

'He was fiddling around with things and I thought it was unusual behaviour.'

A fourth neighbour said that they last saw Mr Kulzynski in the first week of January taking down Christmas decorations outside his home.

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

Mr Kuczynski lived in Allan Bedford Crescent at Queen's Hills, a new estate built in 2006 which is home to about 5,000 people living in 2,000 properties.

The force added a weapon had been recovered from nearby woods but is not believed to be linked. A cordon remained in place along with a forensic tent outside the home.

Officers said yesterday that they had

DCI Burgess said: 'We are still working to understand the full circumstances which led to the deaths of these people, however at this time we believe this to be an isolated incident.

'I recognise the shock and upset this incident will cause in the local community and we

'The man and two children lived at the address, but the woman involved was visiting and didn’t live at the property. Next of kin have be

'We’re also aware of commentary on social media about a knife discovered in a wooded area near to the address, however, at this time we’re satisfied it’s not connected to this incident.'

A cordon remains in place this afternoon along with a forensic tent outside the home

The four bodies were discovered inside in the Norfolk suburb of Costessey by police yesterday

Locals told of their shock yesterday, including a 32-year-old man living on an adjoining road who said: 'When I was dog walking this morning I saw the cordon at about 8am.

'This is a very quiet neighbourhood and I've never seen anything like this before here. This is something like you see on the TV I suppose, so it seems all quite surreal.

A mother living opposite the house who asked not to be named said: 'We don't know what happened. It is just devastating.

'The fact that children are dead makes it even worse. I can't imagine what has gone on.

'I used to exchange neighbourly smiles with the family who lived there.'

Police in Norfolk forced their way in shortly before 7am after a call from a member of the public

The family lived together on Allan Bedford Crescent at Queen's Hills, a new estate in Costessey

Police at the scene in Costessey, Norfolk, after four bodies were found at a property

The four bodies were discovered inside in the Norfolk suburb of Costessey by police

Gary Blundell, a Liberal Democrat councillor for the area, confirmed that a family had been living at the address prior to the deaths.

He said: 'I live on the estate with my wife. It hasn't been verified who it is yet, so they haven't released names, but if it is the family involved that I think it possibly could be, then yes we did know them.

'I don't know if the house had been sold since the family I knew were there, but it was a family home. I don't know if it was rented. Obviously, they approached me for help on certain things, when the house was being built. They did ask questions.

'I spoke to them. It's just a regular normal family home. If they needed help, then it was available. To be honest, it's a totally shocking experience.

'I don't know how this has happened. We don't know the full extent of what happened. We are only going on what we have been told, but from what I understand, this is an isolated incident, with no risk to the public.