Santina’s devastated mother plans to sue Tusla
THE mother of murdered toddler Santina Cawley is considering taking legal action against Tusla, the State child protection agency.
Bridget O’Donoghue has been in talks with a legal firm over the action. A source said the mother ‘has concerns Tusla did not do enough’ to keep her two-year-old daughter safe.
THE mother of murdered toddler Santina Cawley is considering taking legal action against child protection agency Tusla for failing to ensure her daughter’s safety and welfare, the Irish Mail on Sunday has learned.
Although legal papers have yet to be issued, sources confirmed Bridget O’Donoghue is in discussions with a legal firm in relation to the action.
A source said the grieving mother ‘has concerns Tusla did not do enough to make sure her little girl was safe’. It is understood she has questions about whether ‘all the necessary assessments were done to make sure Santina’s best interests, safety and welfare were looked after’.
Earlier this week, Karen Harrington, 38, was jailed for life after a jury unanimously found her guilty of murdering the little girl.
The Cork woman had denied killing the two-year-old in her apartment on July 5, 2019. Harrowing evidence was given of a litany of injuries inflicted on Santina during the four week trial at the Central Criminal Court in Cork.
Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster told the court she suffered 53 separate injuries, including a traumatic injury to her brain, as well as injuries to her upper body, spinal chord and lower limbs.
At the time the little girl was killed her mother and father, Ms O’Donoghue and Michael Cawley, had separated and were living apart.
Santina was left in Harrington’s care the night she was murdered when Mr Cawley left the apartment at 3am to look for his cousin after a row with his girlfriend.
On his return, he found his daughter on a couch lying under a blanket.
In a victim impact statement given to the court before Harrington was given a mandatory life sentence last Monday, Santina’s heartbroken mother said her little girl was a happy child who had ‘brought so much joy to our family and her brothers and sister’.