Gardaí find remains of child in search for missing boy in Dublin

Daniel Aruebose

Gardaí have discovered human skeletal remains in Donabate, Co Dublin, which they believe to be those of missing three-year-old Daniel Aruebose.

The remains were uncovered on Wednesday, September 17, during searches on open ground in the town.

Gardaí said the remains will be the subject of a careful and sensitive exhumation and formal identification, including DNA analysis, will now take place.

Daniel, who would now be seven and who lived at The Gallery Apartments in Donabate, had not been seen for four years.

Concerns about his welfare were first raised by Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, on August 29 this year.

Gardaí have since confirmed that they are satisfied Daniel is deceased.

Investigators carried out a technical examination of an apartment at The Gallery complex on August 31 and have been conducting house-to-house inquiries there. 

hey are appealing to anyone who lived in the complex between July 2019 and the present to come forward.

The investigation is being led from an incident room at Swords Garda Station, supported by local Garda units, the Garda National Technical Bureau, Air Support Unit, Dog Unit and Analysis Service. 

External specialists, including a forensic anthropologist, a forensic archaeologist and cadaver dogs from the PSNI, have also been brought in.

A Garda spokesperson said they are working closely with the local coroner and appealed to anyone with information about Daniel’s death to contact the investigation team at Swords Garda Station on 01 666 4700, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

They urged members of the public not to assume that gardaí already hold all relevant information, and to treat anything they know as potentially significant.

In a statement, gardaí also appealed for caution around online discussion of the case, warning the public to verify any claims or speculation they encounter on social media or messaging platforms.