Daughter quizzed over death of Evelyn Joel

THE daughter of a woman who died weighing just six-and-a-half stone and the daughter’s 34-year-old partner were released without charge last night after 12 hours of garda questioning about her death.

Thirty-one-year-old Eleanor Joel and her partner, Jon Costin, were arrested at 10.15am yesterday by gardaí probing the events surrounding the death on January 7 of 59-year-old Wexford woman, Evelyn Joel. The couple were brought to the local garda station. Their initial period of six hours' detention under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act was extended at 4.15pm yesterday as gardaí probed the events leading up to Evelyn Joel's death in hospital from malnutrition and dehydration.

The arrests and questioning under Section 18 of the Non-fatal Offences Against the Person Act are the first in the garda probe which began when Evelyn Joel passed away on January 7. It is understood that no further arrests are imminent.

Details of Evelyn Joel's final days and weeks sparked national outcry. The multiple sclerosis (MS) sufferer was found lying in her own excrement by ambulance staff who had to "gown up" before removing her from her daughter's home on New Year's Day. She died six days later at Wexford General Hospital.

At the time of her death, Eleanor Joel confirmed her mother had been bed-bound since September 2005.

She insisted her mother had not wanted medical intervention. She added that, when her mother's partner died on December 15 last year, Evelyn Joel started refusing food.

"She was staying in her bedroom, she had orange, water, coffee and tea. I would bring her up everything to try to make her eat and drink. I would give her soft stuff, you know, like she wouldn't have to chew like custard, potatoes, trifle and stuff," she said. "I did my best, I couldn't do anything more for her," said Eleanor Joel.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) South Eastern Area is currently investigating what access, if any, Evelyn Joel had to social and health services in the two years prior to her death.

The HSE inquiry team, chaired by Dr Joe Duggan, consultant and geriatrician at the Mater Hospital, has met to discuss the case.

A garda inquiry into Evelyn Joel's death is also underway.