How ‘84 probe and cold case inquiry have differed

TWO dead newborn babies were found in Kerry in the spring of 1984. The first, that of a baby boy with multiple stab wounds, was found on White Strand in Cahersiveen on April 14 ,1984.

A major investigation was launched with gardaí drawing up a list of women in the county who were suspected of being pregnant or who had recently left the area. Gardaí soon came to suspect the baby belonged to 25-yearold Joanne Hayes from Abbeydorney.

Ms Hayes and members of her family were interrogated and signed statements admitting involvement in the case of the Cahersiveen baby. A day later, on May 2, the garda case was thrown into complete disarray when the body of Ms Hayes’ baby was found on the Hayes’ Abbeydorney farm.

It soon emerged that the blood group of the Cahersiveen baby was different to Ms Hayes, to the married man with whom she was having an affair and to the baby found at the farm.

Despite this development detectives stuck to their guns introducing a complex “hetero-paternal superfecundation” theory with which they attempted to prove Ms Hayes had given birth to twins by different fathers.

The Hayes family withdrew their confessions, and in the wake of the blood group findings the murder charge against Ms Hayes was dropped.

The subsequent 82-day Kerry Babies Tribunal, headed by Justice Kevin Lynch, opened in Tralee on January 7, 1985. It would essentially become the trial of Joanne Hayes.

Justice Lynch found that Ms Hayes killed the baby on the farm by choking it to stop it crying. This finding was made in spite of state pathologist Dr John Harbison being unable to determine the cause of death.

Justice Lynch – whose report generally exonerated the gardaí – also rejected claims by the Hayes family that they were assaulted by gardaí and their confessions were forced.

On January 16 2018 that all changed when Killarney Superintendent Flor Murphy held a press conference at Cahersiveen Garda Station.

He said that a formal apology from the Gardaí would be made to Ms Hayes and her family for the stress and pain they suffered during the investigation.

A new murder inquiry was opened in a bid to identify ‘Baby John’ the Cahersiveen baby and his killer.

Gardaí poured over old case notes looking for clues and local lines of enquiry that, back in 1984, were ignored or never fully pursued once detectives’ focus landed on the Hayes family.

Door-to-door enquiries were carried out and scores of witnesses – some who had been interviewed in 1984 and some who had never given statements – were interviewed. DNA samples were also taken from people in the area.

In mid September last year islanders were stunned when a large number of gardaí descended on Valentia to begin a door-to-door canvass of the entire island. The canvass of Valentia – which saw Gardaí carry out interviews and issue questionnaires to some 600 people with homes or holiday houses on the island – was, according to garda sources, based on “a certain line of enquiry”.

Though the renewed effort to solve the case has been welcomed by media commentators, the same cannot be said of many living in and around Cahersiveen and Valentia. Many are scared to talk openly to the press about the new investigation – understandably given what happened to the Hayes family – but there is a palpable anger that the finger of blame is being pointed at the community.

Some argue that the baby might have no connection to the area and that the body could have washed ashore having been dumped almost anywhere along the Munster coast. Others argue that the case will likely never be solved and that Baby John should just be allowed to rest in peace.