Norwich deaths: NHS mental health trust to lead review

Bartlomiej Kuczynski, 45, Jasmin Kuczynska, 12, and nine-year-old Natasha Kuczynska were found dead by police officers on Friday, 19 January

A mental health trust has confirmed a man found dead along with three family members had been one of its patients.

Bartlomiej Kuczynski, his sister-in-law and two daughters were found with stab wounds to the neck in Costessey near Norwich, a week ago.

It has since emerged Mr Kuczynski was taken to the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital by police in December and later discharged himself.

The mental health NHS trust for Norfolk said it would conduct a review.

Mr Kuczynski, 45, Jasmin Kuczynska, 12, Natasha Kuczynska, eight, and his sister-in-law Kanticha Sukpengpanao, 36, were found in a house on Allan Bedford Crescent by police on Friday, 19 January shortly after 07:00 GMT.

Mr Kuczynski was taken to the hospital's emergency department by police on 14 December - the same day he was reported as a missing person.

The hospital said he left the unit after being assessed as having "mental capacity".

'Open and transparent'

The Norfolk & Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health services across the two counties.

Caroline Donovan, its chief executive, said the patient was "already known to our services" and had "discharged themselves", and the trust would carry out a serious incident review.

"We will be undertaking our own full externally-led serious incident review to ensure any learning is identified and, of course, work with partners to collaborate with any external investigations," she said.

"We absolutely want to be open and transparent but we need to balance this with the needs of family.

"We want to reassure our community that we are committed to supporting the police in understanding the circumstances surrounding these tragic deaths."

They will now work with their partners, police and the family to support any statements about the case.

The family were found in a house on Allan Bedford Crescent in Costessey a week ago

Since their deaths, Norfolk Police has referred itself to the Independent Office for Police (IOPC) over the case.

The force has confirmed that on the day of the deaths, it received a call from Mr Kuczynski shortly before 06:00 GMT from inside the house saying he was confused and worried about his mental state.

It is understood he was advised to seek medical advice and contact 111.

Officers arrived about an hour later and made the discovery of the bodies after another call from a concerned member of the public.

Detectives are treating the deaths of Jasmin Kuczynska, Natasha Kuczynska, and Kanticha Sukpengpanao as murder.

They have said they were not treating Mr Kuczynski's death as suspicious and they were not looking for anyone else in connection with the murders.