The body of the victim was discovered on 15 December just behind the playground of the school both girls attended, near a small local stream.
She suffered stab wounds, and police recovered a knife believed to have been used.
Emergency responders who arrived at the scene found the girl already deceased.
A candle was placed near a local stream in Jelenia Góra, southwestern Poland, close to the playground behind the primary school where, on 15 December 2025, an 11-year-old gir was killed. A 12-year-od girl from the same shchool has been detainded in connection with the murder. Photo: PAP/Krzysztof Ćwik
Child kills child in shocking school tragedy
The 12-year-old suspect, from the same school, has been detained on suspicion of murder.
Under Polish law, she cannot be questioned by police or prosecutors - only a court may conduct such an interrogation.
According to the latest information, the court has now granted permission for the girl to be questioned.
Police have completed the invterview, and the next steps in the case will be taken by the family court. The autopsy was conducted by the Department of Forensic Medicine at Wrocław Medical University.
Investigators have not yet determined a motive for the attack.
Paweł Domagała, headteacher of the school, described the victim as an exemplary student who actively participated in volunteer work, sports competitions, and academic contests.
“The school community has suffered an immense loss. She was well known to both teachers and peers. A cheerful and open child, she excelled in her studies and eagerly engaged in school initiatives,” Domagała said at a press conference.
Support offered to students and families
Psychological support has been made available to the victim’s family, staff, and fellow students at Primary School No. 10 in the city.
Primary School No. 10 in Jelenia Góra, southwestern Poland, 16 December 2025. Photo: PAP/Krzysztof Ćwik
Other schools in Jelenia Góra will host sessions with psychologists before the Christmas break on 22 and 23 December, and a dedicated counselling hotline has been activated.
Parents of the 12-year-old suspect are also receiving psychological assistance.
The interior ministry confirmed that 16 specialists had been deployed to the facility to provide mental health support.
City mourns as student safety reforms considered
Jelenia Góra’s mayor, Jerzy Łużniak, declared a period of mourning and called on residents to cancel or postpone upcoming cultural, sporting, and entertainment events, urging the community to observe the tragedy with respect.
Komunikat Miasta Jelenia Góra w sprawie ogłoszenia żałoby po śmierci uczennicy SP nr 10. W związku z tragicznymi...
Opublikowany przez Miasto Jelenia Góra Wtorek, 16 grudnia 2025
Education Minister Barbara Nowacka praised the school for its swift response to the crisis and confirmed that revisions to health and safety regulations are being considered to better protect students.
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Source: IAR/PAP/MSWiA/Polish Radio English Section/Miasto Jelenia Góra/X/@MateuszCzmiel