Polish woman, 42, found days from death at home after parents said she went missing 27 years ago

When a 15-year-old Polish girl disappeared suddenly in 1998, her parents told concerned neighbours that their daughter had gone missing.

In July 2025, the woman, now 42, was found emaciated and days from death inside her parents' home, where she had apparently been for the past 27 years.

Claimed everything was fine

The woman was found when police responded to a disturbance inside an apartment block in Swietochlowice, a southern Polish city, news.com.au reported.

When they knocked on the unit, an 81-year-old lady answered the door.

The lady told police that she had been fighting with her husband, who was not present during the visit, People wrote.

Then, the 42-year-old woman, who was supposedly missing, appeared from one of the rooms.

When questioned, the woman, named Mirella, affirmed that everything was fine, Daily Mail reported.

However, the police noticed that Mirella's legs were swollen and she had difficulty moving, so they decided to call for the ambulance.

During the journey to the hospital, Mirella revealed she had not left the house for over 20 years.

Doctors later determined that the emaciated woman was just days away from death due to an infection.

She reportedly had not gone out to meet anyone, including the dentist and hairdresser, and her teeth and hair were in critical condition and threatening her health.

She also had not seen how much her city had developed and never obtained an identification card.

Neighbours believed only two persons lived in flat

Local media reported that some of the neighbours claimed that when Mirella first went missing, they were told that she had been reunited with her biological parents, according to People.

Her former school principal told local media that Mirella was withdrawn four months into high school in September 1997 at the request of her parents.

Neighbours assumed only the elderly couple lived in the flat where Mirella was found, news.com.au reported.

One of them said they remembered playing with her as a teenager before she disappeared.

Not held against her will

Polish police said on Oct. 14 that their investigation thus far did not clearly indicate that Mirella had been held in the apartment against her will.

They told the media that they were in the midst of collecting evidence, verifying all statements and investigating possible psychological and physical abuse.

Mirella herself also spoke out and claimed she was not held against her will, People reported.

"I haven't gone out for a long time, I can't remember," Mirella was quoted as saying.

According to the Daily Mail, Mirella's mother said they used to take Mirella outside and visit friends at the garden, but admitted she could not remember when that occurred.

When asked about the children's toys on display in Mirella's bedroom, the elderly woman said she meant to throw those toys away but did not get to it yet.

Mirella has since spent almost two month in the hospital, and the case gained attention after neighbours started a fundraiser on behalf of her.

Top image via Fakt, Gazeta Wyborcza