Girl, 13, appears in court charged with murder

A 13-year-old girl has appeared at Northampton Crown today (Wednesday, March 12) in connection with the death of a woman in Wellingborough.

Police and firefighters were called to an address in Newcomen Road at about  3am on Monday, March 10, following reports of a fire.

Officers found the body of a 43-year-old woman inside the house and a murder investigation was launched, led by the East Midlands Special Operations Unit Major Crime Team.

Formal identification has yet to be confirmed, but the woman is believed to be 43-year-old mother-of-three - Marta Bednarczyk.

A forensic post-mortem investigation, which took place at Leicester Royal Infirmary yesterday (March 11), gave the preliminary cause of her death as being as a result of sharp force injury.

This morning, the 13-year-old child, who is charged with murder and arson with intent to endanger life in connection with the incident, appeared at Northampton Magistrates’ Court.

Her case was committed to Northampton Crown Court where she appeared this afternoon (March 12) and was remanded into youth detention accommodation by Her Honour Judge Lucking KC.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, will next appear at Northampton Crown Court on April 11. 

Marta’s family have requested for their privacy to be respected at this difficult time and therefore do not wish to speak to the media.

They have released a tribute to her here: Family of Marta Bednarczyk pay tribute to her | Northamptonshire Police