McGinley children may have been drugged before deaths

Further toxicology reports are needed to determine how the three children found at in their home in Dublin on Friday evening died, but it is thought they may have been suffocated.

Another line of inquiry being followed by gardaí is that the three children, Conor McGinley, 9, Darragh, 7, and Carla, 3, were sedated prior to their deaths, and could have died due to overdose.

The two brothers and their sister were found at their home in Parson’s Court in the village of Newcastle in Dublin at approximately 7pm on Friday. It is understood that there were no obvious physical injuries to the children when they were first discovered.

Paramedics were alerted to the scene when a woman, believed to be the children’s mother, was found in a distressed state.

She was taken to Tallaght University Hospital, where she continues to receive medical treatment.

Gardaí are anxious to talk to the mother about the circumstances of the tragedy and will speak to her once doctors have decided she is able to talk to them.

It is understood that a note reading ‘Call 999, don’t go upstairs’ was discovered at the scene.

The children’s father, Andrew McGinley, is believed to have discovered the three bodies in the house after he returned home from work. He stayed with them until the emergency services arrived.

A family liaison officer has been appointed to Mr McGinley, and they are in contact with him and the children’s extended family, a Garda spokesman said.

It is understood that the children attended school on Friday, with the oldest sibling Conor collected a little earlier than usual by his mother.

Prayers were said for the family at a packed Mass in the nearby parish church of St Finian’s yesterday.

Neighbours and locals left flowers, notes and tributes at the house over the weekend. Prayers were also said for the family at a community gathering on Saturday.

Co-parish priest Fr Kevin Doherty said a darkness has descended on the close-knit community.

“The darkness, it’s so dark, it’s unspeakable. Grief, heartbreak, loss, and it affects and touches everybody in this community”, he told RTÉ.

Out of the darkness, somehow we have to find the light. In the kindness of people, there is light.

Councillor for the area Emer Higgins described the events as an “unimaginable tragedy”.

“My thoughts are with everybody impacted,” said the Fine Gael representative.

“This is a really tight-knit community, it’s a small area, it’s a quiet area and it’s just unthinkable that something like this could be happening on our doorstep.

“It’s so tragic. It’s unbelievable that three young people’s lives could be cut short like that, in what seems to be a particularly tragic case.”

Assistant State pathologist Margot Bolster completed autopsies on the children on Saturday at the Dublin City Morgue.

However, interim results are not being published for operational reasons, according to the gardaí.

Further toxicology reports are still awaited.

The scene where two boys and a girl were found in a house at Parsons Court in Newcastle Village,northwest of Rathcoole last night.. Pic Stephen Colllins/Collins Photos.

Tailored supports are to be put in place for local families and children struggling to come to terms with the deaths of the three children.

An Garda Síochána says it is working closely with South Dublin Children and Young People’s Service Committee to ensure the appropriate supports are available to the community through schools, counselling and family support services and local groups.

A Garda incident room has been set up in Clondalkin Garda Station and gardaí have appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Door to door inquiries in the area are expected to continue over the coming days to determine the exact movements of the family leading up to the heartbreaking events.

“No arrests have been made and An Garda Síochána continue to investigate all the circumstances of these unexplained deaths,” a Garda spokesman said.

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