Mother freed as DPP to get file on baby death
The mother was released without charge yesterday and detectives will now begin working on a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
The baby was born prematurely last August and was taken home by his young parents on December 1.
Emergency services were called to a house in the village of Bohola, Co Mayo, on December 28.
The child was not breathing and paramedics tried to resuscitate him.
He was taken to Mayo General Hospital. His condition was so serious that a decision was taken to transfer him by ambulance to Our Lady’s Hospital, Crumlin, in Dublin, a drive of 230km.
He was placed on a life-support machine, but after doctors determined he could not be saved the machine was turned off on January 1.
Hospital staff documented the injuries and an autopsy was conducted last week. This determined that the boy suffered a fractured skull.
Gardaí had tried to glean from the traumatised mother what had caused the severe injuries and whether or not there had been an accident of some sort.
Investigators were not satisfied with the information they were getting and made the decision on Wednesday to arrest the mother under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984. She was detained at Claremorris Garda Station and questioned in relation to how the injuries were sustained.
The mother was released without charge yesterday.
Detectives will now examine her statements, gather the medical evidence, and prepare a file for the DPP.
The State prosecutor will decide whether or not an offence has been committed and if charges should be brought.
It is understood the father, also aged in his early 20s, was not in the house at the time paramedics arrived there.
In a statement, a Garda spokesman said: “Gardaí are investigating the sudden and unexplained death of a four-month-old baby boy following an incident at a residence in Bohola, Co Mayo, on the 28th of December 2016.”
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