Woman's death 'may have been US assisted suicide'
Gardai today confirmed they were investigating the death of a depressed woman who was believed to have paid two Americans to fly to Dublin and help her commit suicide.
Toxicology tests were being carried out on the body of the middle-aged woman amid reports that she sought help from a US group through an Internet chatroom.
The two Americans had flown into Dublin Airport and helped the woman to kill herself at her flat in the city, before fleeing the country with their fee of 6,500 euro, it has been reported.
Friends told a newspaper that the separated woman, who lived in Donnybrook, in the east of the city, had been seriously depressed and had spoken in the past of taking her life.
The woman had no children and had been forced to give up her job in recent months because of her depression, they said.
Police confirmed that the assistant state pathologist, Marie Cassidy, carried out a post-mortem examination on the woman’s body at the weekend.
Blood samples have been taken and a toxicology report would identify the cause of death. Forensic officers from the Garda Technical Bureau have swept the woman’s apartment for fingerprints.
Email transmissions between the woman and a contact in the US have been recovered, it was reported.
Officers were also studying CCTV footage from Dublin Airport in a bid to identify the people she met.
A garda spokeswoman said: ‘‘Gardai in Donnybrook are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of the lady. There is a full investigation taking place.
‘‘The State Pathologist’s Office is now investigating the cause of death. The woman died on Saturday.’’
The spokeswoman said assisted suicide was illegal in Ireland. Under Irish law, anyone who ‘‘aids, abets, counsels or procures the suicide of another’’ is liable upon conviction to be jailed for up to 14 years, she said.
She added: ‘‘In terms of seeking extradition of any suspect we would have to make further inquires to see if that were possible.’’
Many US organisations offer services to people considering assisted suicide, but none openly advertise the type of service performed in this case.
