Results of postmortem due in Killarney baby death investigation

The outcome of a postmortem will determine the course of the investigation into the death of an 11-month-old baby boy in an apartment in Killarney town centre, the chief investigating officer has said.

Chaplain Fr Piotr Delimat said the Polish community in the Kerry tourist town had been very affected by the death but he was confident it would support each other and the family.

Baby Karol Rozycki’s mother has been named as Anna Rozycka, who raised the alarm. Karol’s father, Andrzez Piolunowicz, is receiving treatment in hospital.

Supt Flor Murphy said the body of baby had been discovered in a bedroom in the Park Place apartment building off High Street, at around 6pm, after gardaí had been alerted.

Also in the apartment was a male with “serious injuries”, the senior Killarney-based garda said. He said the man was taken to Kerry University Hospital in Tralee and was receiving treatment.

The scene is still being preserved.

The infant’s body which had remained overnight, on Sunday, in the apartment was removed to Kerry University Hospital yesterday and a postmortem conducted.

Dr Margot Bolster, State pathologist, arrived at the apartment on Sunday night and conducted a preliminary investigation.

Supt Murphy said the results will determine the course of the investigation.

“Gardaí are appealing to anyone in the Park Place apartment complex yesterday between 1pm and 6pm or anyone with any information whatsoever to contact the gardaí,” he said.

Garda technical experts from Dublin arrived yesterday to examine the apartment.

Both parents work in one of the top local hotels.

It is understood the mother of the child, in her 20s, who is a chef, raised the alarm when she returned from work around 6pm.

Her partner, Mr Piolunowicz, is in his 30s.

He was discovered seriously injured and was taken to Kerry University Hospital in Tralee.

Family members and friends, and neighbours in the apartment as well as Ms Rozycka, were spoken to by gardaí yesterday.

Gardaí are waiting to interview the injured father.

Fr Delimat, the Polish chaplain in Kerry, seconded from the Archdiocese of Kraków, said he was liaising with the family involved and would continue to do so.

The Polish community in Killarney is “well-organised”, he said.

Twice a month there is a Polish mass in one of the town’s two parish churches.

Many of the Polish families have children and they are all very affected by the death, he said.

“We are all really touched by this,” Fr Delimat said.

The priest said he had just completed, this weekend, a two-day retreat with the Polish community in Killarney on the theme of God’s forgiveness.

He would be keeping in contact with the family and the community would be supportive of them, he felt.

One Polish woman living in the apartment complex said Sunday had been very quiet in the complex. Everyone was very shocked.

The family had been living there for some months.