The daughter of a woman whose remains were discovered buried beneath a patio fifteen years after she vanished has provided poignant testimony about overhearing conversations regarding gender reassignment surgery between her mother and the accused partner. Katarzyna Zablocka, now twenty-five years old, shared her recollections during the ongoing trial at Derby Crown Court, where Anna Podedworna faces charges of murder, preventing a lawful burial, and perverting the course of justice.
Childhood Memories and Relationship Dynamics
Katarzyna Zablocka, known affectionately as Kasia, was merely ten years old when her mother, Izabela Zablocka, disappeared in 2009. She described her mother as someone who occasionally attempted to present herself in a more masculine manner, though they never directly discussed gender identity changes. "I overheard when they were talking between themselves about changing my mother's gender," she stated during her evidence given via video link from Poland.
The relationship between Izabela and Anna Podedworna, who were neighbours in Trzebiatow, north-west Poland, began when Katarzyna was around seven. She characterised their partnership as volatile and tense, marked by jealousy and alcohol-fuelled arguments. One particularly alarming incident in 2009 involved Podedworna chasing Izabela with a kitchen knife following a dispute at a family gathering.
Move to the United Kingdom and Abrupt Disappearance
In search of employment opportunities, Izabela and Podedworna relocated to the United Kingdom in 2009, leaving young Katarzyna in the care of relatives in Poland. The two women secured work at a local poultry factory in Derby. Katarzyna maintained regular contact with her mother, speaking on the telephone approximately three times per week until the calls ceased abruptly in August 2009.
"We talked about the usual stuff - school, nothing too exciting," Katarzyna recalled of their final conversation, which occurred on either August 26 or 27, 2009. Subsequent attempts to reach her mother were met with an unfamiliar woman answering the phone before immediately hanging up.
Discovery of Remains and Forensic Details
Izabela Zablocka's body was ultimately discovered in June of last year, buried beneath hardstanding in the garden of a Derby home the two women had shared. Forensic examination revealed she had suffered a violent death sometime between August 28 and October 1, 2010. Her remains had been dismembered, bound with electrical tape, and placed within two plastic bin bags.
Prosecutors allege that Podedworna utilised skills acquired during previous employment as a butcher to sever the body in half. Following the alleged murder, she reportedly continued with her life as normal, including having two children with a local man before contacting Derbyshire Police in 2025 to disclose knowledge of her former partner's whereabouts.
Gender Reassignment as a Relationship Condition
The court heard that Podedworna allegedly informed a Polish journalist that she had made gender reassignment surgery a condition for the continuation of their relationship. According to testimony, Izabela initially showed interest but later lost enthusiasm, creating significant conflict between the two women. Katarzyna corroborated this tension, noting that while their relationship involved two women, "what I noticed about Anna was that she preferred men."
Investigation and Legal Proceedings
Following her mother's disappearance, Katarzyna engaged with Polish authorities, missing persons charities, and media outlets in attempts to locate Izabela. Authorities collected her mother's wedding veil to obtain a DNA sample for identification purposes. The breakthrough in the case reportedly occurred when television journalist Rafal Zalewski contacted Podedworna requesting an interview in May of last year.
Prosecutor Gordon Aspden KC described this contact as the tipping point for Podedworna, who subsequently emailed Derbyshire Police and visited a police station. There, she claimed that Izabela had died in an accident during a violent confrontation, leading to the discovery of the remains shortly thereafter.
Katarzyna Zablocka fondly remembered her mother as deeply involved in her life, playing with her, taking her to school, and spending quality time together. "My mother was interested in my life," she testified, "she left to make money...so I could have a better life." The trial continues as the court examines the complex circumstances surrounding Izabela Zablocka's disappearance and death.
