Beata Fortuna

Beata Fortuna was found with head injuries in Chapel Street, Luton at about 2am on 29 December 2021 and taken to hospital where she died the following day on 30 December 2021.

Five people were arrested in connection with her death. 

They were:

1. 40-year-old man, suspicion of murder.
2. Man, 50s, suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.
3. Man, 50s, suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.
4. Woman, 50s, suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.
5. Man, 30s, suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.

However, they were all later released with no further action.

Her post mortem examination fund that she died from a head injury and alcohol liver disease.

An open verdict was returned.

Her inquest heard that her head injury could have been caused by an assault or a fall.

The pathologist said that her:

Beata Fortuna had lived in a flat in Chapel Street at the time. She was from Poland and had come to the UK in 2017. She had been homeless and an alcoholic and was described as a vulnerable person and had been provided with temporary accommodation at Wesley House on Chapel Street. However, it was heard that three other people regularly stayed at her flat, including one man who the council described as a 'raging, angry man'. However, although his behaviour and the history of domestic abuse between him and Beata Fortuna was known by the councils Social Services, they said that his behaviour was more 'coercive behaviour rather than physical'. 

The social services added that they had looked at moving Beata Fortuna out of Luton town centre, as well as taking out an injunction against the man, but that nothing further was done.

Her inquest heard that on the night of 28 December 2021, five people had been at Beata Fortuna's flat during the day. Two of them said that when they arrived at 11.44pm they found Beata Fortuna naked from the waist down and with a redness in her hair. 

When the five people were questioned by the police, none of them said they knew how Beata Fortuna came by her injuries, although one person later said they saw her fall off the bed and hit the floor and that her head then started bleeding badly.

Two men said that they then put her in a sleeping bag and took her out of the flat and that whilst they were in the lift she was dropped. Then, after taking her outside, they flagged down a police car at 12.50 and told them that Beata Fortuna needed help. When the paramedics arrived they found a substantial amount of blood.