Father suspected of murdering daughter, 5, before taking own life pictured

This is the suspected killer who took his own life after murdering his five year old daughter.

The picture shows Bus Eireann driver Krzysztof Daczkowski (50), who was found in the landing of his home in Heathfield Terrace, near Finglas on Saturday night, close to the body of his tragic five year old daughter Julia Daczkowska. Julia is understood to have just been a few weeks short of her sixth birthday.

Gardai suspect that Krysztof strangled Julia in her bedroom on the top floor of the home, before taking his own life. The child’s heartbroken mother Aga made the horrific discovery of both of them dead, after returning home from a shift in work on Saturday evening.

The picture shows the well known bus driver who locals have said was only seen showing his daughter how to cycle with stabilisers just days before. Officers are set to launch a murder investigation once the postmortem examinations are complete.

They do not believe there was any break-in or third party involvement. It is feared the dad and daughter lay dead for several hours before the mother of the child arrived home and made the grim discovery. The bodies were removed from the home at around midday on Sunday – and were taken for a postmortem examination, which will determine the course of the investigation.

The tragedy unfolded in a quiet estate and right opposite a children’s playground, which is located on a green area opposite the family home. Locals described how the young child and her father were often seen in that playground – and of their shock that this tragedy had occurred.

One local told how a neighbour heard the mother’s scream. “She came out to a horrible scream. It was the mother. She’d just come home from work and found them,” they said.

Other neighbours spoke of the pain at having to tell their children – many of whom played with the little girl in the playground, what had happened. “It’s very hard. Like we don’t know what to be telling our children. It’s just horrific,” one local woman said. “Word filtered through but I kind of don’t think the gravity of it hit until the searches and all were going on this morning,” they added.

“It’s just the kids now that we are trying to protect from it. My two girls are the same age as that little one. So it’s shocking. They would know her to see her in the playground. We’d always say hello to the family. My girls thought there was a movie being recorded this morning because of the cameras so I just said yeah that’s right.”

Another neighbour added: “It’s very sad. You don’t know what you’re going to do. We’ve a lot of kids as you can see there in the playground. It’s really sad. Such a quiet neighbourhood up here. You don’t hear a dickie bird up here.

“They’re such a quiet family. People have their thoughts on it. I have my own but no matter what it’s a tragedy.They’re a lovely very quiet family and kept to themselves. Just one child between the two of them.”

Another woman described how she saw a fire brigade truck coming into the estate at speed – and immediately she knew something was wrong. “I was up in my room and I saw the fire truck came in. I knew by the way they ran out that it was something serious.”

“There were four ambulances, two fire vans, the engine and then the guards. I knew once the ambulances were leaving I thought oh this is not good, they’re not bringing anyone out. But I still wouldn’t have imagined anything like that.”

Locals described how the father of the child was often seen with her on the street – and how the grandmother had just left the home days before the tragedy – after staying with the family all summer.

“He (the father) spent all summer teaching her to go on her bike without stabilisers. You’d see him in the middle of the road holding traffic and you’re like: ‘Get off the road.’ The grandmother was there all summer. She has been all summer. You would always see her going up and down the road with the little girl,” a neighbour said.

Gardai have opened up an incident room and are awaiting the results of a post mortem before determining the next course of the investigation. However officers are braced for a murder investigation in this tragic case.

On Saturday night gardai said they are “investigating all the circumstances surrounding” the discovery of the two bodies. In a statement, a garda spokesperson said: “Gardaí are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the discovery of two bodies at a domestic residence in Finglas, Dublin, on Saturday, 27th September 2025.

“Gardaí and emergency services were called to the residence in the Cappagh area shortly before 8:00pm. The location has been preserved for forensic examination by the Garda Technical Bureau.

“The Coroner has been notified and the services of the Office of the State Pathologist have been requested. No further information is available at this time.”

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