A blood clot in the lumen of the left coronary artery most likely caused critical ischemia of the heart muscle and led to the cardiac arrest of Barbara Skrzypek, concluded forensic experts. They noted that the clot bore the hallmarks of a fresh change, likely forming just hours before her death. They also acknowledged that “stressful factors” may have affected her cardiovascular condition.
Barbara Skrzypek, a long-time associate of Law and Justice party leader Jarosław Kaczyński, died in mid-March. Just three days earlier, she had been questioned for several hours by prosecutor Ewa Wrzosek in the presence of two legal representatives of the plaintiff—despite her poor health. She was reportedly denied access to her own legal counsel during the questioning.
The Warsaw-Praga District Prosecutor’s Office has now confirmed that forensic experts have submitted their opinion on the examination and autopsy of Skrzypek’s body.
According to the official statement, “the autopsy aimed to precisely determine the cause of death, including the mechanism and surrounding circumstances, which could be clarified by the experts.”
Key Expert Findings:
In the written opinion, summarized in the statement, the experts concluded:
- The examination and autopsy of Barbara Skrzypek did not reveal any evidence suggesting her death resulted from traumatic injuries.
- Considering the autopsy findings and additional test results, the cause of death was determined to be the exacerbation of chronic circulatory failure during an extensive, acute heart attack affecting the posterior wall of the heart. This was triggered by a thrombus formed on an atherosclerotic plaque, impairing blood flow in a major coronary vessel—specifically the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery.
- The thrombus discovered in the circumflex branch likely caused critical ischemia of the heart muscle and led to Skrzypek’s cardiac arrest. The clot appeared to be a fresh change, most likely forming within a few hours prior to death.
- From a medical standpoint, it is recognized that various stressful events and factors can trigger complex hormonal responses in the human body, potentially affecting multiple organ systems, including the cardiovascular system. However, it cannot be definitively stated that such stress reactions, even in high-risk individuals, directly endanger life or health—especially when there is a time gap of several days between the stressful event and death.
The prosecutor’s office emphasized that the expert report is comprehensive and detailed, but the public statement is limited to key information due to the sensitive and personal nature of other findings. The prosecution is still awaiting a toxicology report.
Autopsy Without Family Consent
Shortly after Skrzypek’s death in March, the prosecution ordered an autopsy of the 66-year-old. As reported by Niezalezna.pl, her body was taken from a funeral home by the prosecutor’s office without the knowledge or consent of her relatives. Preliminary findings released at the time match the current conclusions: death was caused by circulatory failure resulting from an extensive heart attack of the posterior heart wall, with the presence of a thrombus impairing the flow in the circumflex branch of the left coronary artery.
The Wrzosek Interrogation
The interrogation of Barbara Skrzypek, as documented in a transcript released by the prosecution, confirmed earlier reporting by Niezalezna.pl. Prosecutor Ewa Wrzosek personally conducted the interview, with two attorneys present: Krystian Lasik (acting on behalf of Roman Giertych) and Jacek Dubois. Skrzypek’s questioning was not recorded, and her own attorney, Krzysztof Gotkowicz, was not allowed to participate despite his request.
The transcript notes that Skrzypek was visibly nervous, had difficulty reading, and was appearing as a witness for the first time. Her anxiety was reportedly heightened by the presence of two lawyers representing the opposing party.
Wrzosek noted in the transcript that she orally rejected the request for Skrzypek’s attorney to be present, citing a “lack of legal or factual interest on the part of the witness that would be endangered by her interrogation.”
Prosecutor Wrzosek has since been questioned by the Warsaw-Praga prosecutor’s office regarding the circumstances surrounding Skrzypek’s death. Recently, Wrzosek was removed from her high-profile investigation into the “Two Towers” case and reassigned to a regional post.