Girl, 13, charged with murder of woman and arson

A 13-year-old girl has been charged with the murder of a woman whose body was discovered following a house fire. Police stated that the victim's body was found at a residence in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, early Monday morning.

The girl's name cannot be released for legal reasons. She has also been charged by police with arson with intent to endanger life. While formal identification has not yet taken place, detectives believe the victim to be Marta Bednarczuk, a 43-year-old mother of three.

Preliminary results from the post-mortem examination indicate that the cause of death was sharp force injuries. Police and fire crews were called to the property on Newcomen Road just after 3 a.m. GMT, following reports of a fire. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene at 3:29 a.m.

A cordon remains in place at the scene, and police are asking the public to avoid the area. Detective Inspector Johnny Campbell of the East Midlands Special Operations Unit said he was grateful to the officers and staff who had worked "tirelessly" since "this very tragic incident" occurred. "In particular, our thoughts are with Marta’s family, who have been devastated over the past few days but have been extremely cooperative."

Police stated that the girl was scheduled to appear at Northampton Magistrates' Court at 10 a.m. on Wednesday.