adminIn a tragic turn of events, little Eliza, a six-year-old girl from Nasielsk, was left by her parents in Warsaw’s ‘Window of Life,’ a safe haven typically meant for much younger, abandoned infants. What makes this story even more distressing is that Eliza’s father promised her he would return, leaving her unaware of the grim reality unfolding around her.
This unsettling incident occurred just a few days ago on Hoża Street in Warsaw. Eliza’s father, burdened with overwhelming debts and facing legal troubles for unpaid child support, left her in the care of the Franciscan sisters, who quickly sensed something was wrong. Despite Eliza’s calm demeanor—reassured by her father’s false promise—the nuns immediately alerted the authorities.
When the police arrived, Eliza was able to tell them her name and where she lived, leading them quickly to her parents. It was soon discovered that her father was already wanted by the District Court in Wyszków. He was subsequently detained and now faces over two months in custody, with more legal troubles on the horizon.
Back in Nasielsk, the community is in shock. Friends and neighbors are appalled by the family’s decision, expressing disbelief that such a situation could arise. “A loving mother seeks help, she doesn’t abandon the child she carried under her heart,” one local resident told us.
Family members revealed that the parents, Wiola and Radek, were struggling with significant financial difficulties. Radek had moved to the Netherlands for work, while Wiola stayed behind to care for Eliza. The mounting debts and Radek’s looming prison sentence for unpaid maintenance might have driven them to this desperate act, according to a relative.
Eliza’s grandmother, heartbroken and in disbelief, insists that she had no knowledge of the parents’ plans and would have never allowed her granddaughter to be abandoned.
This case is unprecedented in Poland. The ‘Window of Life’ was established in 2006 as a safe place for unwanted infants, not school-aged children like Eliza. Until now, the oldest child left in such a facility was just two and a half years old. When a child is left in the ‘Window of Life,’ they lose their previous identity, becoming legally anonymous until a family court assigns them a new name and identity.
Eliza’s story is a stark reminder of the harsh realities some families face and the tragic decisions they make under pressure. It also raises important questions about how we, as a society, can better support those in desperate situations to prevent such heart-wrenching outcomes in the future.
