Prosecutors probe newborn's death during birth at Lubaczów hospital

Investigation opened over care during labour

Prosecutors in Lubaczów, in Poland's Podkarpackie region, are investigating the death of a newborn during childbirth at the county hospital (Szpital Powiatowy) in Lubaczów. The case concerns a 19-year-old woman who was giving birth and her child, and the suspicion that they were exposed to a direct danger of losing their lives or suffering serious harm to health. Prosecutors are checking whether hospital staff properly looked after the mother and the baby during labour. The investigation was opened on 28 October 2026 under articles 160 §2 and 155 of the Penal Code, which cover actions or omissions by hospital staff that could have unintentionally caused the newborn's death. Spokesperson Małgorzata Taciuch-Kurasiewicz announced the details in a communiqué dated 3 November. Reports name different supervising units: one places the case under the regional prosecutor's office in Przemyśl, while another names the district prosecutor's office in Lubaczów.

Autopsy leaves cause of death open

Investigators have secured the 19-year-old's medical records, the baby's body and biological material intended for further tests. The person who filed the notification about the suspected offence has been questioned, and further witnesses are still being heard. An autopsy was carried out on 30 October 2026 at the Department of Forensic Medicine of the Medical University of Lublin. It showed that the pregnancy was full-term and that the baby was healthy. However, it did not allow a clear determination of the cause of death, so further tests on the secured material are needed. Prosecutors say these steps aim to establish the exact causes and circumstances of the death.

What prosecutors will examine next

Prosecutors will first examine whether the diagnostic and treatment methods used by doctors at the Lubaczów hospital suited the condition of the mother and child during labour. They will also check whether staff conduct matched current medical knowledge and practice. If irregularities are found, prosecutors will establish who bears responsibility for them. No one has been charged so far, and prosecutors have not determined whether a medical error occurred. The spokesperson stressed the current position:

“At the current stage of the investigation, it has not been determined whether a medical error occurred or who might be responsible for the child's death.”

The investigation remains ongoing, and the further tests on the biological material are still ahead.