In August 2025, a male patient died in a bathroom at the Warszawski Szpital Południowy and remained undiscovered for nearly four hours, according to reports from Zero.pl. Audio recordings from the hospital’s morgue suggest staff attempted to conceal the circumstances of the death, with the prosectorium coordinator telling a pathologist, “It’s a bit of a mess. We have to make it so there’s no mess.”
Hospital Management Bypassed Prosecutor for Internal Autopsy
The hospital administration decided to conduct the autopsy in its own facility rather than notifying the prosecutor’s office, according to former prosectorium coordinator Artur Habowski. Under internal procedure, the medical director decides on the autopsy, while the general director determines if the case should be handed to investigators.
Habowski told Zero.pl that the situation was “unusual” and that the entire hospital was shaken by the fact that a patient died in a toilet and was found hours later. He claimed he had no influence over the decision to keep the autopsy internal, noting that the pathologist, Kamil Sokół, also had the authority to refuse the procedure.
Did You Know? The patient had been admitted to the Warszawski Szpital Południowy in August 2025 for diarrhea and was intended to be monitored to prevent dehydration.
Audio Leaks Reveal Alleged Cover-Up and Negligence
Secret recordings made by a prosectorium assistant captured conversations between Habowski and Kamil Sokół on August 12, 2025. In the tapes, the men discuss the cause of death before examining the body, with Habowski suggesting a heart aneurysm and tamponade.
The recordings capture Habowski stating that hospital staff “screwed up” because they should have checked on patients every hour. He is also heard questioning why a prosecutor had not already arrived at the hospital given the circumstances. Further comments in the audio suggest the death certificate was “messed up” because of the difficulty of what to record on it.
Family Kept in Dark About Monitoring Gap
On August 13, 2025, the patient’s family visited the morgue. According to the recordings, Habowski informed them the death was caused by a severely diseased heart, electrolyte imbalances, a large old myocardial infarction, and a cardiac myxoma.
The family was not told that the man had been left unobserved in a bathroom for several hours. Habowski later told Zero.pl he was not authorized to disclose the circumstances of the death, stating that informing the family is the responsibility of the physicians.
Prosecutorial Delays and Ongoing Investigations
The Prokuratura Rejonowa Warszawa-Ursynów is currently investigating whether the patient received proper care, focusing on the charge of unintentional exposure to the risk of loss of life. Piotr A. Skiba, spokesperson for the Prokuratura Okręgowa in Warsaw, stated the proceedings are in the in rem phase and that no allegations of falsifying medical documentation have emerged at this stage.
However, legal representatives for both the family and former staff have criticized the investigation. Attorney Aleksandra Walkiewicz-Zygowska reported difficulties contacting the prosecutor’s office and has filed a written request for the case files. Attorney Maciej Zaborowski, representing the whistleblower who recorded the audio, claimed the prosecutor’s office has ignored requests for urgent testimony.
This case follows other investigations into the facility, including a current probe into the alleged forgery of 20 death certificates. Habowski reported that a prosectorium assistant—the same person who recorded the August autopsy—was responsible for the forgeries. According to Habowski, hospital authorities were informed of this before he filed the official report but took no action.
Hospital Leadership Refuses Comment
Anna Łukasik, who served as the president of the hospital board in August 2025, has not responded to requests for comment and has remained out of the public eye since her dismissal. Health Minister Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda also declined a meeting to discuss the matter prior to publication. Kamil Sokół declined to speak with the media through the Center for Pathomorphological Diagnostics.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long was the patient left alone before being found?
The patient was found dead in the bathroom around 4:00 AM, having died nearly four hours earlier, according to the source.
Who decided not to call the prosecutor for the autopsy?
According to former coordinator Artur Habowski, the decision to conduct the autopsy internally and not call the prosecutor was made by the hospital management.
What was the official cause of death given to the family?
The family was told the death resulted from a diseased heart, including a large old infarction, a cardiac myxoma, and electrolyte imbalances.
Should hospitals have the authority to conduct internal autopsies in cases of unexpected death?