Suspected Abduction: 7 yr old girl taken from Roma family by Gardai in Dublin...Investigation still ongoing

 



Gardaí have removed a seven-year-old blonde girl from a Roma family in Tallaght and placed her in care.

Officers intervened to take the girl away yesterday following an investigation.

It is highly unusual for gardaí to remove a child from a family, but they have a duty to do so in law under certain circumstances.

The Child Protection Unit at Tallaght Garda Station received a call from a member of the public concerned about a child living with a Roma family.

The gardaí had had prior dealings with the family and at around 4.30pm yesterday officers called to the house.

They spoke to the parents and saw there were a number of children in the house, one of whom was distinctive, a seven-year-old child with blonde hair and blue eyes.

The parents informed gardaí the child was their own and was born in 2006 at a city maternity hospital.

However, initial checks there failed to confirm this.

Gardaí were also dissatisfied with documents produced in relation to the child.

They spoke with a consultant at another Dublin hospital who informed them that while not impossible, it would be unusual for a Roma family to have a child with such contrasting features.

After two hours in the house, gardaí then decided to act under Section 12 of the Child Care Act and officials from the HSE took the child into care.

The child can remain in care for up to 28 days while the garda investigation continues.


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