Teenager Daniel McAnaspie, who was murdered while in State care, was his family’s “baby” and “would still be alive today” if the HSE “had done their job right”, his sister and aunt have said.
Speaking outside Meath County Coroner’s court on Thursday, after a verdict of unlawful killing was returend at Daniel’s inquest, his sister Catriona McAnaspie and aunt Sabrina McAnaspie said the 17-year-old, who was stabbed to death with a garden shears on February 26th, 2010, “was let down a lot”.
They said they were “screaming” for help for Daniel and that he had “begged” to be taken into secure care in the months before his death.
“The day before he went missing there was people in court fighting for him that was turned away. My brother would be alive if they had sent him to where he was supposed to be. They didn’t listen to him,” said his sister.
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A jury of three men and three women, who began hearing evidence on Monday, found that Daniel died as result of penetrating, perforating sharp force trauma to his heart, lungs, oesophagus, trachea and stomach.
They made 13 recommendations aimed at improving outcomes for the most vulnerable children in care.
The inquest, which ran for four days, heard the care crisis for the most at-risk children has intensified since 2010, with just 14 of the 26 secure-care beds operating due to staff shortages.
A young person who is deemed to be at such a risk to themselves, or others, as to need therapeutic residential care may be detained in secure care by the High Court.
On Thursday, Mark Smith, director of special care services in Tusla, told the court there were five children in crisis in need of secure-care but unable to access it.
He expected one bed to become free this week and a meeting on Tuesday should result in one child at high risk getting the care sought.
Asked whether improved pay in secure care work would help, he said: “The pay is always a challenge…If the pay was significantly better I am sure we would have better retention rates.”
Daniel, who was originally from Finglas, was known to care services from birth. He had had more than 20 care placements in the 15 months before he died, including one he could not access until midnight, as his life became increasingly chaotic.
In 2017, two men were convicted, one of murder, the other of manslaughter, in relation to his death.
The inquest heard social workers made repeated applications to the HSE special care committee to seek a secure-care place for him, all of which were refused. It heard Daniel had presented at his social workers’ office terrified and “pleading to be locked up” as he owed €2,000 to drug dealers.
Aileen Dunne, who was Daniel’s guradian ad litem, appointed by the court to be his voice, told the inquest that in the absence of a secure care placement she had recommended the teenager be sent for therapeutic secure care at Hassela Gotland in Sweden.
“This boy was running out of options and getting more and more at risk,” Ms Dunne said. “It was actually frightening to meet him and see the upset, the distress.”
He had drug debts and “seemed to be under so much pressure all the time”, she added.
“I don’t want any child in this country locked [up], but I do believe in Daniel’s head he knew he needed that ... He had this level of impulsivity that he was not able to regulate and he knew that.
“He wanted to be contained. He needed someone to keep him safe.”
On Thursday, his sister Caitriona said: “The whole system failed Danny. He was loving, he was our brother, nephew. He was one of our babies.
“The HSE has a lot to answer. I am angry he didn’t get the help and support he needed… We have lost a brother, If they had of listened to everyone back then he’d be here today.”
