Family of McAnaspie attack HSE over failings
The body of 17-year-old Daniel was found in a ditch on a farm in Rathfeigh, Co Meath, last Thursday. He died as a result of stab wounds and had been missing for 11 weeks from the care of the HSE in Donabate at the time of his disappearance.
Daniel is the first child in the care of the HSE to be murdered.
As gardaí made a fresh appeal for public information so his murderers can be apprehended, Daniel’s aunt and sister accused the HSE of a cover-up and of failing to adequately support him during his time in its care.
Speaking to RTÉ, Daniel’s sister Caitriona said: “They never listened to us, we’ve asked plenty of times to please listen to us what Daniel wanted, he wanted help and they just wouldn’t give it as much help as he really needed – they won’t be getting any thanks off us.
“His reading and writing, that was one thing he really wanted to do and they just wouldn’t fund it... He wanted a proper home and they just threw him around, place to place.
“If they had have listened, maybe Daniel would be still here today.”
His aunt Sabrina said Daniel, who was originally from Finglas, was “not pure streetwise” and had been beaten, kicked and robbed on earlier occasions when he had stayed in hostels in the city. On other occasions he had stayed in Garda stations as no other accommodation was available.
They said the HSE refused the opportunity to place Daniel in a home for troubled children in Switzerland, and it had been alerted Daniel was “going downhill” even before the deaths of his mother and father some years ago.
Daniel was one of five children from the McAnaspie family who were placed in care following their parents’ deaths.
The young man’s death will now be reviewed under guidelines set down by the Health Information and Quality Authority, although the independent panel from which personnel will be selected to look at the case has not yet been formed. It is also currently without a chairperson but the HSE said the appointment process would be completed soon.
Fine Gael spokesperson on Children, Alan Shatter TD, said: “The response of the HSE to date is inadequate. There must be an independent investigation into the care, or lack of it, afforded to this tragic young teenager by the HSE. This should include not only a review of documentation and records held, but also interviews with social work personnel involved including those in managerial positions and with members of his family.”
Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said: “Obviously it’s a tragedy and the family are distraught”, adding that “if the state fails in some circumstances that is something people have to obviously learn from.”
Superintendent Dave Dowling once again appealed for any members of the public with any information to come forward.
“If anyone has any information, or maybe knows something but has not come forward already, we are appealing for them to do so now,” Supt Dowling said.
Gardaí have already carried out door-to-door inquiries in the Whitestown area of Dublin 15, where Daniel was last seen in the early hours of February 26.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact Blanchardstown Garda Station on (01) 6667000 or the Garda confidential line on 1800 666 111.
