An eleven-month-old girl was found by nuns at the window of life in Gdańsk, Matemblewo. The next day, the child's 32-year-old father reported to the police station. He said he didn't know anything. He wants his daughter back. The girl is currently in a foster family and the case is being dealt with by the court.
Nuns girl in the window of life at the Single Mother's Home in Gdańsk, Matemblewo, on December 1. According to procedure, they called an ambulance and the police. The first examination showed that the child was healthy and had no signs of violence or neglect.
The next day, a 32-year-old man came to the police station and stated that he was the child's father. – He was interrogated, the police secured the girl's birth certificate. Materials in this case were sent to the Family and Juvenile Department of the District Court in Gdańsk for further decisions – says Asp. pcs. Mariusz Chrzanowski from the Municipal Police Headquarters in Gdańsk.
Window of life in Gdańsk MatemblewoTVN24
The case was first described by the website trojmiasto.pl, which was contacted by the child's father – Mr. Marcin.
In a conversation with us, the man said that he is currently in the process of divorcing the girl's mother. – We both have custody rights, but I have been taking care of Sara since the beginning of November. I didn't live with her mother, Mr. Marcin tells us.
He adds that they came to Gdańsk with their daughter to meet the woman.
– I had to leave on Sunday. I asked her to stay with the baby until Monday at the latest. After just a few hours, she wrote to me that she would give the child to the window of life, but I didn't take it seriously – says the man.
On Monday, when it turned out that his daughter was missing, he started looking for her. He called hospitals and later went to the police station. There they confirmed that a child had been found in the window of life the day before. – I knew right away that it was Sara – Mr. Marcin tells us.
He wants his daughter back
The man wants to get his daughter back, but it is not easy. Proceedings to limit or deprive parental authority over a child were initiated ex officio before the District Court Gdańsk-Południe in Gdańsk.
– By order of December 5, 2024, the court placed the minor in a protective manner in a professional foster family, where the child is currently staying. The court received information from the Police Station and MOPR, which allows identifying potential details of the minor and her parents. At the same time, a man claiming to be the child's father reported to the police station. The information in question is subject to verification, the court ordered, among other things, environmental interviews, said Judge Łukasz Zioła, spokesman for civil matters of the District Court in Gdańsk
Mr. Marcin claims that on Wednesday he sent a request to the court to recover his daughter. He didn't know he had to do it before. However, Judge Zioła said that the Gdańsk-Południe District Court has not yet received any application from any of the parents to change the protective order and entrust him with custody of the child.
Father: I'll only see you for two hours
Until the matter is resolved, Mr. Marcin has limited visits with his daughter – the next one is scheduled for December 20. – I'll see you in two hours, that's sick. It's as if someone took your baby out of the stroller, put it in the window of life, and you couldn't pick it up now, says the man.
He also admits that he did not come to the Home for Single Mothers in Gdańsk when his daughter was staying there – the nuns handed the child over to the services only on December 5. – I just didn't know she was there – he explains.
On Friday, Mr. Marcin will negotiate more frequent visits with his daughter at the Municipal Family Support Center.
As we were informed by Asst. pcs. Mariusz Chrzanowski, the family was not covered by the Blue Card procedure, and there were no signals that anything might be happening there.
Church in Gdańsk Matemblewo TVN24
A chance for a new life
The Window of Life is a place where a parent can leave their newborn child anonymously. The window opens from the outside and is equipped with heating and ventilation. After opening, an alarm goes off and calls the people taking care of the place. Then medical and administrative procedures are initiated: the emergency medical service and the family court are notified.
Window of Life in Gdańsk has been operating since May 5, 2009. In 2015, they were also launched in Sopot. Operates at the Caritas Hospice House.
From the window of life to adoptionTVN24
Main photo source: TVN24