Polish pathologist remanded after 32 human fetuses found buried on her former property

Discovery

On 10 June, an excavator operator preparing the ground for a new terrace at a property in Lutoryż, a village south of Rzeszów, turned up what appeared to be a tiny human skeleton. Police sealed off the site and forensic teams worked through the following days. By Saturday afternoon, 32 human fetuses had been exhumed from several pits dug 120 to 160 centimetres deep, together with thousands of paraffin blocks, microscope slides and other laboratory debris. A cadaver dog pinpointed the burial spots on the 0.05‑hectare plot; a ground‑penetrating radar was brought in to continue the search. No remains have been found outside the former owner’s garden.

Suspect and charges

The plot was sold in February 2025. On 12 June police detained its former owner, Magdalena H., a 57‑year‑old pathologist who had practised in Rzeszów. Brought before the Regional Prosecutor’s Office the next morning, she felt unwell because she had not taken her regular medication and was briefly examined in hospital before questioning. She did not enter a plea, telling investigators she would make a formal statement once she had chosen a defence lawyer.

“The suspect did not declare whether she pleads guilty, but she gave explanations from which it follows that she personally transported and buried the human fetuses found on her property, as well as other medical waste.”

Prosecutor Krzysztof Ciechanowski said the suspect also indicated the source of the fetuses, though details are being withheld while the investigation continues. She faces one combined charge of desecrating a corpse (Article 262 of the Penal Code) and abandoning hazardous waste in an unauthorised place (Article 183), which carries a maximum sentence of 12 years’ imprisonment.

Court decision

The prosecutor applied for pre‑trial detention on Saturday. The District Court in Rzeszów granted the request in full, remanding Magdalena H. in custody until 10 September 2026. Ciechanowski stressed that investigators currently have no evidence that anyone else assisted her or that further burial sites exist. No indication of illegal abortions has been found.

Scene and community

Neighbours on the quiet Biała estate in Rzeszów, where the suspect lived alone for nearly two decades, described her as reserved. One man who sold her the Lutoryż plot years ago recalled that she gradually stopped leaving the house and contact became distant. She has an adult daughter and a young grandson; recently she had moved in with her own mother to help with daily care.

What comes next

Forensic teams remain on the site, with digging expected to continue at least until Monday. The prosecutor’s office says the priority is to verify the suspect’s account and determine the exact age of the fetuses and how long they lay buried.