Polish man at centre of probe into death of baby son dies in hospital

The Polish man at the centre of a garda investigation into the death of his 11-month-old baby in Co Kerry died last night.

Andrzez Piolunowicz, 32, had been found seriously injured in the family apartment in Killarney where the body of baby Karol Rozycki was discovered last weekend.

Mr Piolunowicz had been taken to Kerry University Hospital in Tralee on Sunday evening.

However on Tuesday, after his condition deteriorated and because of the nature of his injuries, he was transferred to Cork University Hospital.

Informed sources had said his condition continued to worsen and he remained on life-support.

Yesterday evening, it emerged steps were being taken to prepare his organs for donation in the event of his death. Just before 9pm gardaí confirmed that Mr Piolunowicz had died. It is not known whether his family members had arrived at the hospital.

Earlier this week a postmortem was conducted on the body of the baby. For operational reasons gardaí did not divulge the outcome.

Meanwhile, the body of little Karol Rozycki is being flown to Poland today on a scheduled Aer Lingus flight from Dublin.

Undertakers, O’Shea’s, and Aer Lingus have met the expenses of the repatriation.

The baby’s mother, Anna Rozycka, through a friend, thanked the airline and the Killarney undertaker as well as the wider Killarney community for their support and kindness to her.

She has also thanked the gardaí, the owner of the town centre apartment complex where the family lived, the interpreters, garda liaison officers and all others who have helped her.

Ms Rozycki raised the alarm at about 6pm on Sunday after she returned from work at the Aghadoe Heights Hotel where Mr Piolunowicz also worked.

Gardaí said the apartment remains sealed off and investigations are continuing.

Statements have been taken from a number of people. Gardaí had also been hoping to interview the injured man.

A special Mass, celebrated in Polish and English for baby Karol and his family in Killarney’s St Mary’s Cathedral on Tuesday, drew a large attendance from both the Polish and Irish communities.