Post-mortem concluded on tragic baby Mia; killer dog euthanised
Gardaí at the property in Clashmore, Waterford on Monday. Picture: Niall Carson/PA Wire
A post-mortem has taken place on the body of a three-month-old baby killed by a dog at her home in Co Waterford.
The small village of Clashmore in Co Waterford has been enveloped in grief after the baby girl was attacked and killed in her home by the dog.
Mia O’Connell was born in late February to parents Rhys O’Connell and Ella Wood. The young couple got engaged last New Year’s Eve.
The three-month-old was in a bed in the terraced house when the dog went upstairs at around 2am and attacked her.
Emergency services treated Mia's injuries at the scene before she was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital (CUH) where she was pronounced dead.
The post-mortem on the infant was administered by Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster on Tuesday afternoon.
Gardaí said the results of the post-mortem will not be released for operational reasons.
"An Garda Síochána's focus is on the preparation of an investigation file for an inquest by the county coroner," a garda spokesperson said.
It is understood animal involved in the incident has now been destroyed.
A family liaison officer has been appointed to the family.
In a statement issued Tuesday evening, An Garda Síochána, on behalf of the family, appealed for the privacy of the three-month-old infant girl, and the privacy of the family to be respected at this time.
The incident remains under investigation by gardaí in Dungarvan, and they are appealing for anyone with information to contact them.
The child's mother, Ella Wood is in her 20s and is believed to have moved to the area relatively recently.
The father Rhys O’Connell is aged 32 and originally from nearby Youghal.
Clashmore resident Pat Flavin said that the family would be in the thoughts and prayers of everyone in the area.
"There are about 1800 people in this area. It is a small place. Everyone will support them and do what they can for them," he said.
Mr Flavin said it had been a tragic time for the wider community with five young teenagers being injured in a crash on the R633 Bog Road some 3km West of Youghal Strand last December.
"We have had a lot of tragedy. Now this. There was also a murder in the Decies Bar (in the village) many, many years ago."
Elsewhere, a young mother whose kids were playing in the play area near Raheen Quay Walk in Clashmore shook her head in sorrow when asked about the tragedy.
"I wouldn't know what to say to you.
"I heard it first thing and I couldn't even speak for a while because I have small kids myself and you know we all always worry about our small kids and the things that could happen," she said.
A woman who has lived in Clashmore for a few years said that she did not know the family personally but that she was confident that the village would rally around them.
"There will no doubt be a guard of honour (for the funeral). We have done that for everybody and there have been a few deaths during Covid.
"It was done for a lady who died of breast cancer and for an older man. People will do what they can,” she said.
A woman, who would only be identified as a "mother of five", said the parish was numb at the news.
"I am out for my walk and it's on my mind. I don't know them but I will say a prayer for them."
Waterford Independent councillor Seamus O’Donnell said that he had spoken to locals in Clashmore who are understandably shocked by what occurred.
“This is a very unusual thing to happen. The family are new in to Clashmore.
“A woman I spoke to said she was only talking to the grandmother when she was out walking the baby yesterday. They were only talking about how nice the baby was.
Waterford Fine Gael Councillor, Pat Nugent, who is a native of Clashmore, said the tragedy had occurred just hours after what had been a fantastic day of festivities in the village.
“This is the last thing you would expect to wake up to on a bank holiday morning. We had such a lovely day in the village of Clashmore yesterday.
"We had a cancer appeal and the GAA club was involved in it and we had vintage cars and a tractor run. People were out walking. It was back to a bit of normality.
"The family aren’t very well known because they are renting and new to the area.
"We had a lovely mass yesterday morning. Little did we know that a tragedy would occur within 24 hours.
"It is a lovely village. The houses (where the tragedy occurred) are about 15 years old.
"Three or four of them were sold and the rest are rented out.”
Prayers will be offered at masses in the coming days.
Fr Milo Guiry of Ardmore, whose parish encompasses the village of Clashmore, said what had unfolded was a “terrible tragedy”.
“We will keep the family in our prayers. Every support will be offered to them. It is terrible, terrible news.”
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