A Litany Of Pain, Abuse And Tragedy
May 26th, 1983Born at the Rotunda Hospital. Her mother was 25 years old. Her father did not want any interaction with her and there is no record of any contact with him.
1983-1987Five instances in this period were identified where concerns were raised with authorities about incidences of non-accidental injuries. No documentation exists to show these concerns were considered.
1990Health officials note verbal aggression and abusive behaviour towards Tracey by mother. Two of Tracey's teeth are knocked out following a smack in the face from her mother. This is not reported to Garda, and child protection guidelines are not followed.
1991A teacher notifies health board of concerns when Tracey is not sent to school for a week following bruising and a black eye. Social workers write to mother about the alleged incident, but no face-to-face meeting takes place.
1991Tracey moves to Wiltshire with her mother and her partner. Tracey's name is placed on the child protection register in Britain following two physical assaults on her by her mother's partner.
August 1991Tracey and her mother spend several nights in a women's refuge in Salisbury following domestic violence.
April 1994Tracey returns home to Ireland with her mother. A request is made by her mother and grandmother for Tracey to receive counselling because she is "depressed, verging on suicide at times". She is offered an appointment at the Mater but never attends.
1997Tracey returns to Wiltshire to live with her mother and partner. Her name is placed on the child protection register again following physical and emotional abuse suffered at the hands of her mother's partner.
December 1997Tracey and her mother flee more domestic abuse in Wiltshire and return to Ireland. They live with Tracey's grandmother for several months.
May 1998Two weeks short of her 15th birthday, Tracey is voluntarily placed in State care by her mother. Her mother returns to England to live with her partner.
May 12th, 1998On her first night of being homeless, Tracey asks a social worker to stay with her until the out-of-hours social worker arrives. The social worker says this is not possible, and leaves her at a shopping centre at 6.40pm. She walks to Coolock Garda station. The out-of-hours social worker later writes that "Tracey appears as very nervous, unstreetwise, spoke of fears of being bullied." She is placed in Sherrard house care home.
1998In the first six months in care, Tracey is accommodated in nine different accommodation arrangements. She becomes involved in prostitution, being pimped, uses heavy drugs and drink, and assaults staff.
1999Health professionals agree secure accommodation is required for Tracey, who has been barred from various care services and experiences periods of homelessness. All efforts to locate suitable secure care facilities fail.
1999-2001Tracey becomes pregnant twice while under care of the State at ages 16 and 17. She has a baby boy and girl, who are both taken into care of the State.
April 2000Tracey secures a court order that the health board should provide her with the most suitable accommodation and draw up a care plan for her as soon as possible.
January 24th, 2002Tracey dies of a drug overdose. Her body is found in a coal bunker used by drug addicts off Granby Row.
2002Former judge John Buckley is appointed by the HSE to conduct a non-statutory review of her case. He is unable to complete the review.
January 2008The HSE appoints Michael Bruton to undertake the review in January 2008 and he submits his final report in October 2008.
March 2009Fine Gael TD Alan Shatter calls for publication of the report in the Dáil
October 6th, 2009Minister for Children Barry Andrews promises to publish the report at an Oireachtas health committee meeting, saying "publication of the reports comprises a crucial part of securing public trust in the child protection service in Ireland".
November 2009Mr Andrews says the HSE has delayed publication of the report to allow time for the families of the individuals concerned to be briefed.
March 2nd, 2010Mr Shatter publishes the leaked report and places it in the library of the Dáil. The HSE pledges to publish a further four reports pending on the deaths of children in State care.