Supports to family likely to be investigated — Minister

Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald has said the level of state supports for the family of toddler Hassan Khan are likely to be investigated following his shocking death.

Gardaí continued to question the two-year-old’s mother yesterday, while a post mortem was conducted in Tallaght.

Hassan was found in an apartment in Ballybrack, south Dublin on Thursday afternoon. It is understood he had been stabbed in the neck with a scissors.

As deputy state pathologist Dr Michael Curtis conducted an autopsy, a shrine of toys formed outside the apartment complex as locals struggled to come to terms with the chain of events.

Hassan was the subject of a nationwide Child Rescue Ireland (CRI) Alert on the evening of August 10 last but it was cancelled within an hour of being issued when the boy was found with his father, Saleem Khan.

However, Thursday’s events have turned attention to the level of support and monitoring of the boy’s situation in the period between the CRI and his death.

Ms Fitzgerald said: “Obviously, when the gardaí are investigating a case, they will take all of the circumstances into account and it may be that reports will be called for from other bodies. That is certainly possible in any investigation.

“Clearly what we want to see, generally speaking, for families who are in difficulties, are the best possible supports being made available. The Child and Family Agency is in a position to work with families where they are asked to work with families where children are at risk.

“Obviously you can’t cover every situation, but clearly where families are in difficulties, what we would want to see are the very best services and supports being made available.”

Gordon Jeyes, chief executive of Tusla (the Child and Family Agency), said: “Following the death of a child, particularly in circumstances as tragic as the death of little Hassan, it is important that we all take the time to mourn a life not lived.

“In the period immediately following Hassan’s death the focus for Tusla will be on supporting those who knew and worked with the little boy and his family. In due course, the Child and Family Agency will work with any investigating body to provide all information available both in terms of any supports offered previously to the child and his family and any information which may cast light on why this tragic death took place.”

It is not known the extent to which the family were known to social services prior to the August 10 alert, or the level of support and intervention since that date.

One social worker, while not aware of the circumstances of the case, said since “every case was different”, it was difficult to have a “clear protocol” regarding the actions to be taken following a CRI Alert. Another social worker said a risk assessment would likely be carried out but, depending on the information provided, there would not necessarily be a high level of monitoring or intervention provided.