Little boy’s mother is accompanied by her solicitor as gardaí exhume remains from the marshy ground
Our exclusive pictures show Maria Aruebose outside the Gallery Apartment complex in Donabate with her solicitor Martin O’Donnell after the pair attended the site where little Daniel’s remains would later be exhumed on Thursday night.
Maria, who is facing a Garda probe into her claim for benefits on behalf of her dead son and for concealing his death, has since moved from the apartment complex and is temporarily staying with friends in north Dublin.
Sources confirmed yesterday the concealment of Daniel’s death and the alleged fraudulent social welfare claim are classified as ‘summary offences’, meaning Maria will not be arrested over these matters unless gardaí are in a position to charge her.
Maria Aruebose with solicitor Brian O’Connell. Photo: Padraig O’Reilly
The source added these offences are considered secondary to the main thrust of the investigation right now, which is to determine the cause of Daniel’s death and to ascertain whether third party involvement contributed.
A post-mortem examination on Daniel’s remains, carried out by state pathologist Heidi Okkers, was completed late on Friday night.
The source described the remains as being in a very poor condition, saying there has been significant deterioration over the four years he lay in moist earth.
Gardaí declined to say whether the post-mortem examination had yielded a definitive cause of death. But, our source said the results are now being examined alongside the contents of statements given by Daniel’s parents and the results of a forensic examination of the burial site.
The source said an arrest in connection with the investigation into the cause of Daniel’s death will only take place if the evidence gathered indicates third party involvement and that death resulted from something other than natural causes.
Daniel Aruebose
He described the condition of the remains as challenging in determining a cause of death.
“A typical post-mortem involves the examination of a body, organs and a skeleton,” he said.
“In this case, we are dealing with skeletal remains so this was a forensic examination of the skeleton rather than anything else.
“The substantive part of the examination was concluded last night (Friday night) but there may be other examinations that take more time.”
The Garda investigation into the circumstances of Daniel’s death is being co-ordinated out of an incident room in Swords Garda Station.
It’s understood key members of the investigation team, led by a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO), met yesterday to review the totality of the information gathered this week from the crime scene, from speaking with Daniel’s parents and from the post-mortem.
A copy of Daniel’s Birth Cert, obtained by the Sunday World, shows he was born to Ciaran Dirrane and Maria Aruebose in the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin at 1.41am on December 12, 2017.
Gardaí search the site. Photo: Fergal Phillips
When registering Daniel’s birth, Maria identified herself as a ‘home-maker’ while dad Ciaran identified his occupation as a ‘general operative.’
It is understood Ciaran, who is resident in Brazil, has co-operated fully with gardaí since details of Daniel’s secret burial became known – however, he has made no plans to return to Ireland as yet.
When registering Daniel’s birth, Ciaran and Maria gave their address as a house-share on Carrickhill Rise in Portmarnock.
The house was sold last year and one of the new occupants yesterday told the Sunday World she knew nothing of the pair’s links to the property until inquiries were made this week.
A neighbour told this newspaper he would regularly have seen Ciaran and partner Maria coming and going from the property when they lived there but he said he believed this had been for a relatively short period.
“I’d have known them to say hello to,” he said. “She was striking-looking with the long black hair.”
Speaking with the Irish Independent earlier this week, their former landlord said Daniel’s birth came as a total surprise.
“She wasn’t pregnant when I met them,” he said. “They would lie in their room watching television. I just kept to myself. I was never aware she was pregnant until this particular day I said to Ciaran, ‘Where is Maria?’, and he said, ‘Oh, she’s gone to the hospital to have a baby’. I said, ‘You must be joking!’, and he said she was gone to have a child.”
Daniel, or Danny as he was known, was given up for adoption shortly after he was born.
He was placed with a foster family in Co. Louth where he thrived before being returned to Maria at the age of 18 months and living with his biological parents until his death four years ago.
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Ciaran Dirrane was questioned
Both Maria Aruebose and Ciaran Dirrane have maintained to gardaí that Daniel died of natural causes in his sleep.
Maria told officers that after she discovered her son dead in his bed and ice cold to the touch, the couple attempted to revive him in the bath. After failing to, she said they kept his remains in the apartment for 24 hours.
During this time, it’s claimed he was changed out of his pyjamas into day clothes, wrapped in a blanket and placed in his bed.
The following night, it’s claimed, the couple placed Daniel’s body in a rucksack before carrying him 4km to the site where he was secretly buried with a teddy bear which had been given to him by foster parents.
In a statement this week, gardaí renewed their appeal for anyone with information relating to Daniel to come forward.
Anyone with information can contact the investigation team at Swords Garda Station on 01 666 4700, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
News in 90 Seconds – September 21st