Woman still in custody following stabbing of boy (2)

Gardaí are continuing to question a woman who was arrested yesterday after the death of a two-year-old boy in south Dublin.

Gardaí launched a murder inquiry after the death of Hassan Khan at an apartment in Ballybrack yesterday afternoon.

The woman, who was known to Hassan and his father Mohamed Saleem Khan (61), was arrested at the apartment at the time the remains were found.

She had been at the property earlier in the day.

The woman is being questioned under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act at Dún Laoghaire Garda station. She had her period of detention extended this afternoon after the initial period of 24 hours had expired.

The young boy came to national attention during the summer when he was the subject of a Child Rescue Ireland (CRI) alert in early August. That incident ended peacefully after Hassan was found safe and well with his father, Mr Khan, less than an hour after the Child Rescue Ireland alert was issued by gardaí.

The Health Service Executive (HSE) confirmed today would be conducting its own investigation via its national review panel, which investigates the deaths of any minors known to the child protection services.

Gordon Jeyes, chief executive of Tusla – Child and Family Agency, said: “In the period immediately following Hassan’s death the focus for Tusla will be on supporting those who knew and worked with the little boy and his family.

“In due course, the Child and Family Agency will work with any investigating body to provide all information available both in terms of any supports offered previously to the child and his family and any information which may cast light on why this tragic death took place.”

Found in apartment

The boy’s body was found in a top-floor apartment where he lived with his mother, Hazel Waters, at the Ridge Hall complex on the Shanganagh Road, near Ballybrack, after the alarm was raised just before 2pm yesterday.

Mr Khan had separated from Ms Waters, a convert to Islam originally from Dalkey, south Dublin.

The woman who was taken into custody last night was seen in the local area over a number of hours, with some local people claiming she had looked distressed.

Gardaí are working on the theory that the boy was dead for several hours before his body was discovered.

Preliminary examination

The body was left at the scene for a period, where it underwent a preliminary examination by Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis yesterday evening, before being removed for a full postmortem today.

The results have not been released but they are expected to show Hassan was stabbed in the upper body.