‘Vile’ abuse as Limerick family mourns boy, 2

The family of a two-year-old boy found dead in a Limerick apartment on Saturday, have described as “vile” and “disgusting” messages posted online about the family, hours after the boy’s lifeless body was discovered.

Gardaí have described the death of Robert Kelly as a “family tragedy”.

A postmortem last night revealed the toddler died from a viral infection that travelled to his heart or brain, his grand-uncle Anthony Kelly said.

“No one could have saved him. We are all devastated; it was a viral infection that either travelled to his heart or his brain. He showed no symptoms, no one could have done anything for him. If you get it as an adult you can seemingly fight it but it’s worse if you are a small child,” Mr Kelly said.

Gardaí confirmed the most likely cause of death according to the autopsy report was a “viral infection”.

“It’s a terrible tragedy for the family. That’s all I can say,” a Garda source said.

Derek Kelly, also a grand- uncle of the child, said the family is trying to come to terms with Robert’s sudden passing, and he condemned abuse he said had been thrown at the family across social media websites.

Mr Kelly said the boy would be waked from the Kelly home in O’Malley Park between 4pm and 8pm this evening. Mass of the Angels is at Southill Church at 11am tomorrow.

Robert is to be buried alongside his grand-uncles Michael and Damien.

Michael was known as a ‘hard man’ enforcer in the 1980s, later turning his back on crime to become a poll- topping local politician. He is believed to have shot himself while staying at his mother’s house in June 2004, however the gun was never recovered.

His body was exhumed by the family to disprove a newspaper story that the gun was later buried alongside him in his grave.

Robert’s father said he “lost the best part” of his life when told his son was found dead. Robert Kelly, 21, said: “He was a good lad. He was perfect. This shouldn’t have happened.”

Mr Kelly had left his child in the care of his brother Damien, 20, to go to a prearranged appointment at University Hospital Limerick.

He said Damien phoned him around 4.20pm to say Robert would not wake up.

“I went to the hospital and they were happy out, watching telly and (Damien) was just minding the child as per usual. I got a phone call. Straight away I freaked.

“My brother Damien was minding my son. Damien is 20 years of age and he is more than capable of minding my son.”

Mr Kelly — who was the sole carer for his son — described how he had come from a broken home and how he had promised little Robert he would never want for anything. “I’m a single father and I fought for my son from the day he was born.”

Robert described his son as the “only reason” he got out of bed in the morning.

“He was always a happy-go-lucky young fella, he was always sound as a pound. He was overfed if anything; well looked-after. Only two weeks ago I brought him for a health check and he got the all-clear. Everything was perfect.”

He said he had “plans to bring him out into the countryside and rear him there“, “because this (city) is no place to be rearing children”.

Fighting back the tears, Mr Kelly said: “I couldn’t have been better to him, at least for his small time here.

“When he came into my life, it changed everything. He was everything. Words wouldn’t be able to explain what that child meant to me and what he done for my life, and I had planned a good life for him.”