One month since gardaí began investigating the disappearance of Co Louth boy Kyran Durnin the investigation team has been unable to determine where or how he died.
Though the inquiry is now a murder investigation, detectives have still not discounted the possibility he died by some other means, perhaps accidentally or in another manner where his death was not intended.
However, intensive inquiries – especially since the case was upgraded to a murder probe – have failed to find any evidence Kyran was alive after the middle of 2022, when he would have been aged 6 years. Fresh searches in the Co Louth area are expected to take place as soon as this week.
The Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee and Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman have all expressed their shock that such a young child could apparently go missing for up to 2½ years without his absence being noticed.
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The child and family agency Tusla has confirmed it was in contact with the Durnin family, although it said Kyran was not in its care. It is understood the family had met Tusla staff as recently as earlier this year, although Kyran does not appear to have been present.
[ Thirty-seven children reported as missing from Tusla care so far this yearOpens in new window ]
Gardaí are checking reports from members of the public who claim to have seen the boy. They have received information suggesting he was staying in Dundalk with his family earlier this year but they have been unable to confirm this. Gardaí have been unable to find any evidence Kyran was alive after mid-2022, when he was last seen at his national school in Dundalk.
Tusla flagged its concerns for Kyran’s welfare with the Garda a month ago and a missing persons investigation was opened. That sought to establish the whereabouts of the child and his mother, Dayla Durnin (24). A family member reported them missing to the Garda on August 30th, the day after Tusla raised its concerns, claiming their absence from Dundalk was only discovered on the morning of August 29th.
Gardaí sought the help of the police in Suffolk in a bid to find Ms Durnin. Once she was located two weeks ago, the missing persons inquiry for the mother and child was stood down. At the same time, gardaí upgraded their investigation into what had happened to Kyran to a murder investigation.
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The upgrade in status of the inquiry gave the investigation team more power to make arrests and obtain warrants for searches. Since the upgrade, gardaí have checked phone and social media records of persons of interest as well as carrying out a search and excavation at the former Durnin family home on Emer Terrace, Dundalk, last week.
Gardaí were looking for any evidence about Kyran’s movements over the last two years during the Dundalk search as the Durnin family had lived at the property until last May. The back garden, along with nearby patch of ground, was excavated but nothing was found.
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