Polish police discovered the victim’s body on May 1 in shrubbery near railroad tracks in Mlawa, in northeastern Poland, ending a weeklong search that began after she went missing on April 23. The search operation involved drones and scent-tracking dogs.
The girl had told her mother she was meeting a friend who lived on a nearby street before she disappeared, police spokeswoman Katarzyna Kucharska said.
“We considered various scenarios — including the worst and most tragic possibility. Sadly, that’s the one that turned out to be true,” Kucharska said. “A breakthrough came on May 1, around 5 a.m., when a search-and-recovery dog led us to the location where officers discovered the body.”
Despite being a minor, the 17-year-old suspect could face murder charges involving excessive brutality under Polish law. Authorities in Poland have launched formal extradition proceedings to bring the suspect back to face charges.