Gardaí investigating suspected murder-suicide to ask HSE service about father's state of mind

Gardaí are examining contact with mental health services and Tusla as part of a wide-ranging investigation into the child’s death

Gardaí are expected to contact HSE Adult Mental Health Services as part of their investigation into the suspected murder of 12-year-old Oisín O’Reilly (left) by his father Wayne (right).

Gardaí are expected to contact HSE Adult Mental Health Services as part of their investigation into the suspected murder of 12-year-old Oisín O’Reilly by his father Wayne.

Wayne O’Reilly was known to have mental health difficulties, in addition to addiction issues, and is understood to have been a client of mental health services.

The investigation team will contact the mental health services in a bid to gather information about Mr O’Reilly’s state of mind in recent weeks and months.

Gardaí will also seek to find out whether or not Mr O’Reilly was on medication and try to establish — by talking to family members and from tests on his blood — if he had been taking them.

Sources explained that these inquiries do not necessarily mean gardaí suspect mental health issues led to the murder-suicide, rather that it is standard in such investigations.

Tusla

Inquiries are also being carried out with Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, regarding its contact with Mr O’Reilly and Oisín, as well as his mother, in recent months.

It is also known that there were family law issues, and that last October a garda missing person appeal was issued after Mr O’Reilly disappeared with Oisín. At that stage, both gardaí and family had concerns for their safety.

They were found three days later. The details of that incident will be examined by the investigation team.

It is understood that Tusla carried out several conferences after the incident to try to ensure the safety of Oisín.  In recent times, Mr O’Reilly and Oisín have been living at Mr O’Reilly’s father’s house in Lindisfarne Grove in Clondalkin, along with some siblings.

Mr O’Reilly and his son had a room in the house. Sources suggested that Tusla might have considered such a scenario as providing important additional support and safety.

Discovery

Gardaí were alerted on Thursday morning to a house in Cherry Orchard, Ballyfermot, where they discovered Mr O’Reilly’s body. He had taken his own life.

Gardaí then travelled the short distance to Lindisfarne and called to the house, where family members answered.

It is understood they did not know that Mr O’Reilly was not in the house, nor did they realise that Oisín was still there. It was when gardaí went to their room that the grim discovery was made.