02 July 2023 , 10:34
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The story of a heroic mother diving into the raging Swedish seas to save her boy who had fallen overboard is now being investigated as a murder-suicide.
Swedish cops probing the circumstances surrounding Friday's events are now treating it as murder, with the theory that mum deliberately jumped overboard with her son.
The mother, 36, and seven-year-old boy have been identified only by their first names, Paulina and Lech, both from Grudziądzt in Poland
They had been on board the Stena Spirit ferry travelling from Gdynia in Poland to the Swedish port of Karlskrona when the tragedy happened. An enormous search and rescue mission was launched, with NATO planes roped in to assist.
A huge rescue operation was launched (DAILY MIRROR)The woman and her boy were hauled out of the water before being airlifted to a hospital, but they couldn't be saved and were pronounced dead.
Baby boy has spent his life in hospital as doctors are 'scared' to discharge him
It was initially reported that the mother had heroically dived in to save her boy. But eyewitnesses who saw them just moments before have described Paulina's "tired" and "depressed" appearance.
Fellow passenger Beata told Fakt: "“I remember thinking it was unusual to have such a big baby in a stroller , but the boy may have been disabled in some way. She looked tired, depressed. Her body language was so..."
The ship was headed to Karlskrona in Sweden (Alamy Stock Photo)“I was walking past her. Now I wish I had asked her any questions, made contact, anything," she continued. "I didn't get the immediate impression that she needed help, but it would be better if I stayed by her side. But it was cold and I hid below deck."
Swedish police have lead the investigation with their Polish colleagues assisting.
According to Thomas Johansson from the Swedish Police, there were a number of circumstances described by the ferry crew and passengers, CCTV footage, and identification of the victims, that has allowed them to treat it as a murder case.
Mr Johannson told Fakt: "However, I would like to emphasise that there is no suspect and we do not intend to charge anyone."
When questioned if the reason for the lack of a suspect is "because she's dead", he cut the conversation short saying he could not answer.