Woman faces trial after child enters Cork shop alone and asks for food

Gardaí allege a delay in reporting a missing child after a three-year-old was found alone in a shop late at night

The parties cannot be identified as publication of the child’s name is prohibited in the circumstances by the Children’s Act.

A mother charged with child neglect now faces trial by judge and jury where it is alleged it took 35 minutes for her to report to gardaí that her three-year-old child was missing on a night when he arrived hungry in a grocery shop asking for food.

The case had been adjourned until Thursday for an indication of whether or not she would be signing a plea of guilty to the charge.