Garda manhunt as schoolgirl is found beaten to death
Gardaí believe tragic Ana (14) may have known killer
TRAGIC schoolgirl Ana Kriegel was viciously beaten and left to die in a derelict farmhouse shortly after she went missing, gardaí believe.
The naked and severely injured body of the 14-year-old was discovered in an abandoned building off the Clonee Road in Lucan, Co Dublin, yesterday afternoon.
She died from severe blunt trauma to the head.
The farhmouse where the grim discovery was made is not far from where Ms Kriegel was last seen on Monday evening.
Her family had reported her missing at nearby Leixlip garda station about 8pm that day after they became concerned for her safety. Gardaí immediately launched a search for the teenager.
A source said the murder scene was “horrific”, adding: “There was a lot of blood. It was awful.”
It is understood a “significant line” in the murder investiga- tion was that Ana may have been killed by someone who was known to her.
Gardaí are probing if this person was with the schoolgirl in St Catherine’s Park, Lucan, when she was last seen alive.
A first year student at Confey Community College, Ana was described as a “particularly striking teenager” who was well known within her school and local community.
Investigators also said her family had been left extremely distressed by her murder.
Gardaí have launched a hunt for the killer and Supt John Gordon of Lucan garda station said detectives were following a number of lines of inquiry.
He added: “As you can imagine at this time (her family) are receiving a lot of support from An Garda Síochána but they are extremely distressed and they are also looking for the public assistance, and privacy at his time as well.”
TRAGIC schoolgirl Ana Kriegel was viciously beaten and left to die in a derelict farmhouse shortly after she went missing, gardai believe.
The severely injured body of the 14-year-old was discovered in a building off the Clonee Road in Lucan yesterday afternoon.
Gardaí believe that the teenager was stripped, beaten and left to die within hours of being reported missing by her parents on Monday night.
A significant line in the investigation is that she was killed by someone known to her and a full murder probe has been launched. It is being investigated if this person was with Ana in St Catherine’s Park, Lucan, at around 5.30pm when she was last seen alive.
Her body was found at the farmhouse just off the Clonee Road in Lucan.
A first-year student at Confey Community College, Ana Kriegel was described as a “particularly striking teenager” who was well known within her school and local community. Investigators also said that her family have been left extremely distressed by her tragic death.
Due to the serious nature of the crime, local gardaí are receiving assistance from a number of garda units including detectives from the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation (NBCI).
Her family grew increasingly concerned when she did not return home, and contacted Leixlip garda station at around
8pm on Monday night. Following a three-day search, her remains were discovered in a derelict farmhouse around
2km from where she was last sighted.
The scene was preserved and the property was examined by members of the Garda Technical Bureau yesterday afternoon.
Gardaí are trying to find out if Ana had made an arrangement to meet up with somebody that evening and are checking out all mobile devices she might have used and looking at her activity on social media on Monday and in the previous few days.
The park where Ms Kriegel was last seen alive is a popular spot frequented by families with children.
The 200-acre site, which was searched by gardaí for three days, stretches from Lucan to Leixlip and the nearby Clonee area.
But just a few hundred metres away towards the Clonee Road, the derelict property where Ana was discovered paints a far bleaker place.
The farmhouse and surrounding property has been derelict for many years, and is a place frequented nowadays only by local youths as a hangout spot.
Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy said she has been close friends with Ana’s family for decades. Ms Murphy said she had only spoken to Ms Kriegel’s parents on Wednesday night.
When she wasn’t contactable her parents went to the local garda station almost immediately. “They’re absolutely heartbroken,” Ms Murphy said.
“They didn’t waste any time when she didn’t turn up at home, not communicating with her family was out of character entirely.
“They went to the guards at half past eight. This was just not like her,” she added.
Describing Ana, Ms Murphy said that the young teenager loved dogs and had a tight-knit group of friends. “Ana was tall for her age, but she was a big kid,” Ms Murphy said.
“She loved dogs, she’d have you pestered about what type of dog was this or that.”
Ms Kriegel was also involved in the performing arts, practicing in a dance academy in Leixlip. Last night, State pathologist Marie Cassidy conducted a preliminary examination of the schoolgirl’s remains. Supt John Gordon, of Lucan garda station, said the family are “extremely distressed”.