Woman avoids jail for child neglect after her three year old son was found surrounded by syringes

Monday, 31 May 2021 15:47

The woman, who cannot be named, appeared in Cork District Court today

A woman whose three year old son was found surrounded by needles and shivering in a cabin at the back of a derelict house has been handed a 9 month suspended sentence.

Garda Judith Notley told the court that she found the boy with his mother and his mothers partner in the cabin on November 24th 2017.

The child was wearing light clothes and didn't have any shoes or socks on.

Water was also leaking onto open wires, posing a risk of electrocution.

The woman's defence solicitor Joseph Cuddigan said the woman was a drug addict who was "drowning" in difficulties at the time of the offence.

Judge Colm Roberts says that while he wasn't condemning the child and family agency Tusla, there were lessons to be learned from the case.

Tusla representatives refuted any claim that the woman had asked the agency to take her children from her, but said they could have done more for the woman in hindsight.

The court heard a second child who was not present on the day Gardaí took the three year old into care is also in the care of the state and that the woman and her partner had used money for accommodation to make trips to Dublin to buy heroin.

The woman will be monitored by the probation service and will be offered mental health and drug supports.