NEWBORN BABY FOUND DEAD ON BEACH
Gardai urge tragic mother to come forward after grim discovery
THE body of a newborn baby was found partially buried on a beach yesterday.
It’s not known yet if the infant was a boy or girl or how long it was left on the shoreline at Balbriggan, North Co Dublin.
A woman made the shocking find at the isolated Bell’s Beach at around 10am.
Garda Sgt Fiona Savidge urged the baby’s mum to come forward, adding: “I am reaching out to you. I know you need medical attention.”
DESPERATE appeals have been made to the mother of a baby found dead on a beach yesterday to seek medical help.
The body of the newborn was discovered on Bell’s Beach in Balbriggan, North Co Dublin, by a local woman out cleaning the isolated area at around 10am.
The infant was partially buried by sand but gardai could not say if this was intentional or due to tidal conditions.
The child’s remains were taken to Temple Street Hospital and will be transferred to the city morgue.
A postmortem is expected to take place today or tomorrow morning and a further statement will be made then.
Garda Superintendent Liam Geraghty told a press conference at Balbriggan Garda station that age, medical condition and whether it was a boy or a girl will be determined “at that stage”.
He added: “We don’t know the sex of the baby based on the position it was left in on the beach.”
It was also not possible to determine how long the child had been there.
Speaking alongside Tusla’s Eilidh Macnab at a media briefing yesterday, Garda Sergeant Fiona Savidge said: “We are here in relation to a member of the public finding the body of a newborn baby on Bell’s Beach.
CONFIDENTIAL
“I want to get in touch with the mother of this baby – I am reaching out to you. I know you need medical attention. You need to go to your doctor. We are here at Balbriggan Garda station at 01 666 4500.
“I can assure you that you will be treated with the utmost compassion and care and 100% confidentiality.
“I know you are a daughter. I know you are possibly a sister, a cousin. You might have a husband, or a boyfriend, or confided in a friend.
“To anyone the mother of this baby may have gotten in touch with, I am asking you to contact us.”
Gardai believe the white infant was placed on the beach and did not wash up there.
It will not be determined whether the baby was alive at the time until the postmortem has taken place.
Supt Geraghty added: “Without medical details it would be very hard to tell [if the baby was born there], but it is a very, very newborn baby.” He told how the focus at the moment is on ensuring the mother’s welfare.
He said: “We’re making an appeal for the mother in this case. That lady that’s out there – be it a girl, woman – is in a tragic circumstance and we really need to try and look after her.
“We are contacting all doctors and hospitals at the moment trying to find out if somebody has presented in that medical condition.”
The superintendent said the volunteer cleaner who was alone when she found the baby was traumatised by the discovery and is receiving care.
Meanwhile, tributes have flooded in for the tragic infant.
Social Democrats’ Garrett Mullan said: “This is very sad news. Let us hope that somehow the mother finds her way to get help.”
Local councillor Sharon Tolan added: “Very sad situation.
“I would appeal to the public for information so the authorities can ensure the mother is safe and well.”
Niall Keady of Balbriggan.net said: “We are upset by this news and concerned for the mother.
“We hope she would come forward and know any member of our community would have nothing but compassion for her.” On social media, people
That lady is in a tragic situation & we need to try and look after her SUPT LIAM GERAGHTY BALBRIGGAN YESTERDAY