Toddler suffered fatal injuries, inquest hears

The father of a toddler who died in a hit-and-run accident gave evidence as the inquest into her death opened on what should have been her second birthday.

Venessa Siatka, of Brandon Square, Waterville, in Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, suffered severe head injuries in the incident in the Phoenix Park on April 6. She was 23 months old. She died in the early hours of the following morning at Temple Street Hospital.

She had been in the park with her mother and friends on Easter Monday when the accident happened. She was struck by the car, which failed to stop, at around 6.25pm on the North Road near the Ashtown gate. A 24-year-old man handed himself in for questioning and was later released without charge. The opening of the inquest at Dublin Coroner’s Court heard gardaí are preparing a file for the DPP.

Venessa’s father, Lukasz Siatka, attended the brief hearing alone with her mother outside the court room. He took to the witness stand to give evidence that after his daughter’s death at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, he identified her to Garda Niall Phelan of Blanchardstown Garda Station.

Detective Inspector Colm Murphy requested a six- month adjournment of the inquest to allow gardaí to continue their investigation.

Coroner Brian Farrell,

offering his sympathies to the family, told Mr Siatka he is aware of some of the circumstances of the death but cannot comment while the investigation is ongoing.

The inquest was adjourned until November 6..

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