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Charleville family a step closer to closure following inquest

Thursday, 20 August 2015 17:52

Helen O'Driscoll made the comments following the inquest into the deaths of her three sons yesterday.

The heartbroken mother of three brothers from North Cork who lost their lives in a murder suicide incident last year says her family are now a step closer to closure after the inquest into their deaths yesterday.

The jury returned an open verdict in the case of nine-year-old twins Thomas and Patrick O'Driscoll who were stabbed to death by their brother Jonathan who later took his own life in the nearby town of Buttevant.

In delivering their verdicts the jury concluded that both the family and medical professionals did everything they could for the 21-year-old who had been struggling with depression and what his Psychiatrist believed were the signs of early onset schizophrenia or psycosis.

It emerged during three hours of evidence yesterday that when Jonathan was 17 he had become "down in himself" after a six month relationship with his girlfriend ended, the death of he bestfriend and cousin by suicide and a car accident in 2012 also contributed to his depression.

The Deputy State Patholohist revealed the twins had been stabbed in excess of 40 times each and that according to toxicology results Jonathan had not been taking medication he was prescribed for his mental health issues in the days prior to the incident.

Speaking to RedFM News the boys mother Helen O'Driscoll says she's hopeful that now they know what happened the family can try to move on. 

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