Boy in foster family’s care after court told of ‘assault’

A MOTHER hit her young son on the head and body with a cricket bat because he hadn’t tidied his room, a court was told yesterday.

At the hearing, Judge Fiona Lydon granted a seven-day emergency care order to TUSLA.

She added it “was warranted in all of the circumstances” for the primary school pupil.

In uncontested evidence, a garda said she called to the mother’s home last Thursday to tell her the boy had been involved in an incident.

The officer added: “She didn’t seem to care to be honest with you. I told her that her son was in an ambulance and freaking out and needs his mum.”

She said the mother replied, “Well, there is nothing wrong with him. I have other things to be doing”, and added: “She basically refused to come with us.” The garda, who brought the child to hospital for a check-up, told the court: “He is a nice little boy and if he was given time with a family to look after him he would be fine.

“I felt sorry for him.” The youngster’s social worker revealed he was previously the subject of an emergency order in February “due to the issue of physical abuse and mother neglecting the needs of the child”.

She said she met with him in the hospital on Thursday when “he recounted a number of incidents where he was hit by his mother”. One occurred the previous Monday when, according to the social worker: “His mother was angry he hadn’t done his chores. He told me she took a cricket bat and hit him on his left elbow, his left shoulder, on the back and on the top of the head with the cricket bat.”

When asked about the alleged assault the mother claimed her son was lying.

The social worker said he is now back with the foster carer he stayed with in February and is happy there.