Inquiry into boy’s death gets fresh impetus with mother’s plea
Elizabeth Connors yesterday made an anguished appeal to the public to help gardaí trace the man who was filmed near Stephen’s den one year ago tomorrow. His friend Darren Hall succeeded in escaping but was unable to pull Stephen out.
“Stephen won’t rest in peace until this is all ended,” the boy’s mother said.
“He was such a happy-go-lucky fellow and was just enjoying life on his summer holidays out playing and having an adventure,” Mrs Connors added.
Stephen was with a friend when the fire tore through the makeshift den, which was constructed in a side lane adjacent to his home in the south Dublin suburb of Tallaght at 5.10am on September 1 last. At first, gardaí thought the boys had knocked over a candle, but closed circuit television footage from a local business suggested they may have been deliberately attacked.
The film showed a man approaching the carpet and pallet construction with a dog, before leaving and returning alone about nine minutes later carrying an object.
He finally ran away at about 5.20am, moments before a small explosion and smoke could be seen. Stephen died from smoke inhalation in the den, despite frantic efforts to save him by his friend, Darren. Stephen told his mother he was stopping at his friend’s house that evening.
Posters still hang on lamp posts around Stephen’s home in Rossfield Park appealing for information about his death.
Mrs Connors told RTÉ News: “He was robbed of so much. Robbed of a chance of life. He was only 12. Even the inquest has been put off for another year because no one has been found for this. It is all dragging and dragging on. Stephen won’t rest in peace until this is ended.”
Detective Inspector Séamus Kane said: “We have never located that man. He has never come forward and we are anxious that he comes forward or for anyone who knows this person to come forward.”
The detective said the investigation was ongoing and would continue until they found the man seen leaving the area.
