Investigations into home after toddler fell into park pond
Seán Ross McGowan is in critical condition in Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin.
The child fell into the water at Ranelagh Park in Dublin on Monday while he and other children were being taken for an outing by staff at Miss Carr’s Children’s Home.
It is understood he became detached from the group as it went through the park and fell into the pond.
The children’s home will not confirm how the child was located, how long it was before it was made aware that he was missing, how many children were on the trip or how many supervisors were caring for the group at the time.
It said that information forms part of the investigations being carried out by the Health Service Executive, the gardaí and the home itself.
However, it is understood a passing doctor saw the child in the water and administered first aid for up to 40 minutes until emergency services reached the scene.
Miss Carr’s Children’s Home is a mixed-use facility. It houses four children who have been taken into care, it offers nursery facilities for 25 children and provides transitional housing to seven of those children and seven mothers.
Seán was attending the nursery and his mother was a client of the transitional housing section.
She has maintained a vigil by her child’s bed since the incident.
Last night the home’s chief executive Christina Hughes said the nursery service has been suspended until further notice.
She said Suzanne Phelan, former childcare manager with the HSE, will conduct a review to:
* Examine supervision levels at the time of the incident.
* Determine the exact circumstances surrounding the incident and what led up to it.
* Assess Miss Carr’s Children’s Home’s response to the incident.
* Make recommendations to assist the Home in ensuring that such an incident isn’t repeated.
Ms Hughes said the review would take a week to complete.
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