Mother drowned daughter before taking overdose, court hears

A psychiatrist drowned her teenage daughter in a bath before taking an overdose of sleeping tablets and anti-depressants, a court heard today.

Lynn Gibbs told investigators she believed there was no hope for herself or her daughter Ciara, who she feared was anorexic, and had planned they would both die.

The Central Criminal Court at Dublin heard the 16-year-old’s body was found by her heartbroken father on the floor of an en-suite bathroom. His semi-conscious wife was wet on the bedroom floor.

“I remember being very low,” she later told gardaí.

“I believed there was no hope for Ciara or myself. I planned that we’d both die.”

Mrs Gibbs (aged 47), from Killure in Gowran, Co Kilkenny, has pleaded not guilty to murdering the transition year student at their home between 11pm on November 25, 2006 and 10am on November 26.

However, opening the case for the prosecution, Brendan Grehan SC told the jury there was no divergence between the prosecution and defence.

Mrs Gibbs admits to murdering her daughter and that she intended to kill her daughter but was pleading not guilty to the charge by reason of insanity, he said.

A number of psychiatrists – including friends of the accused, medics who treated her and general practitioners – would give converging evidence that Mrs Gibbs was suffering from a mental disorder, he said.

Mr Grehan said Mrs Gibbs and her husband Gerard had concerns their daughter was anorexic and were seeking medical help for her.

Around the same time Mrs Gibbs began suffering from sleepless nights, weight loss, and depression, had stopped working, and had visited a number of doctors who had prescribed medication.

The court heard the accused was anorexic herself at 17, had a bout of clinical depression about 20 years ago, and that her mother had taken her own life at the age Mrs Gibbs was.

Flanked by two women, the psychiatrist showed no emotion while details of what happened that tragic night unfolded.

Leading investigator Superintendent Aidan Roche told the jury it was almost four weeks before Mrs Gibbs was medially fit to be quizzed by officers.

She told gardaí she feared her daughter’s outcome was poor and although she could hardly recall the night concerned she remembered running a bath, calling Ciara in to her room, and did not think there had been a struggle.

“I recall pushing her underneath the water,” she said.

“I recall taking her out of the bath. I think she was dead at that stage. I got in to the bath after taking the medication.

“I went under the water but I wasn’t able to stay under. I don’t recall when I cut my wrists.”

A heartbroken Mr Gibbs, a college lecturer, cried as he told the court he and his son Gearoid, 14, were visiting his elderly mother over night when the tragedy occurred.

He found his daughter lying on the bathroom floor, with her pyjama top wet, and attempted resuscitation.

State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, told the court the teenager died from drowning.

Internal bruising at the back of the head, shoulders and rib cage showed the youngster had had her head held under the water, she added.

Mrs Gibbs – who was wet and had knife marks to her wrists – was rushed to St Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny, and transferred to St Patrick’s in Dublin before being committed to the Central Mental Hospital where she has been undergoing intense treatment.

The devastated dad said his wife and daughter had an excellent relationship and they had an excellent marriage.

“She loved Ciara,” he whispered in tears.

Mr Grehan told the jury of nine women and three men that in order to return a not guilty verdict by reason of insanity they had to be satisfied that the accused did not know the nature or the quality of the act, she didn’t know it was wrong, or was unable to refrain from doing the act.

“It will be clear from evidence that one or two of these alternative conditions that must be present are present in this case,” he said.

“At the time Mrs Gibbs didn’t know what she was doing was wrong and she was unable to stop herself from committing the act.”

Patrick Gageby SC, who is representing the accused, confirmed Mrs Gibbs admitted murdering her daughter.

Mr Justice Paul Carney told the packed courtroom that the particular verdict being sought could only be returned by a jury once the case was heard in an open court.

The case is expected to last less than two days.