Magdalena Łuczak was born in Poland in 1985. She moved to the United Kingdom with her partner, Eryk Pełka, in 2005. The couple had a son, Daniel Pełka, born on July 15, 2007, in Coventry, England. Łuczak's relationship with Pełka ended in 2008, and she subsequently entered into a relationship with Mariusz Krężołek in 2010. The family resided in Coventry, where Daniel attended Little Heath Primary School. Łuczak was known to have low English proficiency, which may have contributed to her limited interactions with local authorities and social services.

Between 2011 and 2012, Magdalena Łuczak and her partner, Mariusz Krężołek, subjected Daniel to severe abuse, including starvation, physical punishment, and emotional neglect. Daniel was often deprived of food, leading him to scavenge from bins and steal from classmates. He was also forced to perform strenuous exercises and was subjected to beatings. 

On March 1, 2012, after wetting himself, Daniel was severely beaten by Krężołek. Despite his deteriorating condition, no medical help was sought until March 3, when Łuczak called emergency services, reporting that Daniel was unresponsive. Paramedics arrived, but Daniel was pronounced dead shortly after. A post-mortem examination revealed 22 injuries, including a fatal head injury, and signs of prolonged abuse and neglect.

In the subsequent trial, both Łuczak and Krężołek were found guilty of murder and child cruelty on July 31, 2013. They were each sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 30 years. The judge described their actions as involving "unimaginable acts of cruelty and brutality."

While serving her sentence at HM Prison Foston Hall, Łuczak was found unresponsive in her cell on July 14, 2015. An inquest concluded that she had died by suicide, hanging herself in her cell.