Pathologists trying to determine cause of boy's death have 'little to go on'
Daniel Aruebose went missing when he was around three years old, back in 2021.
Pathologists trying to determine how Daniel Aruebose died have “little to go on”, because the discovered remains are only partial.
Garda HQ said on Wednesday that skeletal remains of a child were discovered at a site in north Dublin that morning, close to the location where gardaí had been told Daniel’s body had been buried.
While still awaiting formal DNA confirmation, Garda HQ said they believe the remains are that of Daniel.
The boy, who would be aged seven now, went missing when he was around three years old, back in 2021.
Gardaí released a photograph of him when he was aged two and a half.
There have been confusing, and conflicting, accounts as to how Daniel died — ranging from an accidental death and panicked burial, to a violent death.
While searches are continuing at the site in Donabate for further remains, the Garda investigation is expected to turn back to the parents of the boy, and others, to get a full and consistent account of what happened.
Daniel’s mother, an Irish citizen, originally from Africa, lives in Dublin.
The boy's father, who is Irish, moved abroad and lives in South America with a new partner.
Gardaí are waiting to see if the father returns to Ireland, now that his son’s remains have been found and to help organise a burial.
It is understood that gardaí are doing what they can to encourage, and facilitate, his return.
Concerns about Daniel’s welfare were first raised by Tusla to gardaí on August 29.
This sparked a technical examination of an apartment the boy had lived in with his parents at The Gallery Apartments, in Donabate.
On foot of information received by gardaí, searches began at a site near Donabate the following Monday, which continued, leading to Wednesday’s discovery.
Children’s Minister Norma Foley said the results of an internal rapid review by Tusla into the agency’s dealings with the Aruebose family should be completed by the end of the month.
But she said a separate independent review would take “a number of months” to complete.
Garda HQ issued a statement at lunchtime on Wednesday that gardaí had discovered “human skeletal remains of a child” at the search site near Donabate.
It said: “An Garda Síochána believe these to be the remains of Daniel Aruebose. An Garda Síochána is currently engaging with the local coroner in relation to the discovery of these remains.
“The remains will be subject of careful and sensitive exhumation from the current burial site. Formal identification of the remains will now have to be carried out including DNA analysis.”
Garda HQ has appealed to the public “not to assume” that the investigation team has information that they may know and to contact gardaí.
Shortly after Daniel was born, in 2018, the parents, who were quite young, voluntarily sought help from Tusla and put the boy up for adoption.
It is understood the boy was in foster care for up to 18 months, when the parents changed their minds and the boy was returned in 2000.
It is understood Tusla ended its involvement at that stage.
