A father and daughter who engaged in “incest” could face life in prison after the bodies of three newborn babies were found decomposing in the basement of their home.
Piotr Gierasik, 54, and his daughter Paulina Gierasik, 20, were arrested following the grim discovery in the village of Czerniki, in northern Poland.
The babies were discovered buried in shallow graves and wrapped in plastic bags on the family property.
The first two babies were found on Friday, September 15. A third, in an advanced state of decomposition, was discovered on Saturday, September 16.
Prosecutors have revealed that two of the murdered infants were a result of Piotr Gierasik’s relationship with his 20-year-old daughter, whom they allege was engaged in a consensual relationship with her father.
The third baby was the product of Piotr’s forced sexual relationship with another one of his daughters.
Authorities suspect Piotr of being responsible for the death of the third child as well.
The babies were discovered after a tip-off from social services prompted a police investigation.
Mariusz Duszyński from the District Prosecutor’s Office in Gdańsk said: “The woman has been charged with two counts of murder and a charge of having an incestuous relationship with her father.”
“The man was charged with three counts of murder, a charge of incest with his 20-year-old daughter, and a charge of having incestuous relations with another daughter.”
Piotr and Paulina had relocated to the village approximately 15 years ago, following the death of Piotr’s wife.
As a result, Piotr assumed the responsibility of raising his children alone.
However, suspicions arose among Paulina’s colleagues at a nearby cake shop in the village of Stara Kiszewa when she began wearing loose-fitting clothing, causing them to believe she was concealing a pregnancy. However, no baby ever appeared.
Concerns escalated when Paulina took three weeks off from work, only to return after a single week. One of her coworkers reportedly alerted social services after stumbling upon a disturbing text message that the young woman sent to her father.
Paulina worshipped her father, her friends told local media.
Then it emerged that Paulina was reportedly stuffing tissues down her bra to soak up leaking breast milk. Eyebrows were raised when the father and daughter walked hand in hand around town and she began calling him “Piotr” instead of “dad”.
Piotr G even shaved his daughter’s head, apparently to make her less attractive to other men.
Prosecutor Mariusz Duszynski told PAP on Saturday that the bodies of the dead babies have been taken to the Department of Forensic Medicine in Gdansk for autopsy examinations.
Prosecutors are now awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the cause of death for the infants. Meanwhile, law enforcement officials continue their search of the property, fearing the possibility of additional hidden bodies within the house.
