A 17-year-old Somalian boy has been remanded in custody charged with the murder of Ukrainian youth Vadym Davydenko at an emergency Tusla residential care unit in north Dublin.
Vadym, also aged 17, was stabbed during an incident at about 11am on Wednesday at a 24-hour facility in an apartment building in Donaghmede. He had been placed there alongside other young people separated from their families and seeking international protection.
The teenager, who had recently graduated from high school in Kyiv, travelled to Ireland and arrived a number of days before he was fatally injured.
Gardaí and other emergency services responded to a call for assistance at the premises. Despite the efforts of paramedics, the boy, who would have turned 18 in November, was pronounced dead at the scene. A senior investigating officer was appointed to lead the investigation, and an incident room was established at Coolock Garda station.
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The accused had been hospitalised after sustaining non-life-threatening injuries. On Friday, he was arrested, detained and was later charged with murder in connection with the fatal incident.
The accused, who cannot be named because he is a minor with a legal right to anonymity, was brought before Judge Treasa Kelly at Dublin District Court on Saturday evening.
Detective Sergeant Mark Quill told the court the teenager was charged at 3.38pm on Saturday afternoon at Clontarf Garda Station.
Barefoot and dressed in a black sweater and grey tracksuit bottoms, the teenager sat at the side of the courtroom flanked by seven gardaí in helmets and protective gear.
He listened to the proceedings with the aid of an interpreter, did not address the court and mumbled throughout the brief hearing.
Detective Sergeant Quill told Judge Kelly the boy “made no reply” when charged in the presence of his social worker and an interpreter. The court heard the teenager was handed a copy of the charge, and it was explained to him.
Defence solicitor Andrew Walsh confirmed a Tusla social worker and a court-appointed guardian ad litem had attended the hearing as responsible adults for the boy. The Children’s Act states that a parent or guardian must attend a criminal cases involving a juvenile.
Detective Sergeant Quill confirmed he had checked that there was a place available in the juvenile detention centre.
Mr Walsh was granted an order that his client receive urgent psychiatric and medical attention in custody, and that a Somali interpreter be available at his next hearing.
The District Court does not have jurisdiction to consider bail in a murder case, which requires an application to be made before the High Court. Therefore, the only order that the judge could make was to remand him in custody to the Oberstown Children Detention Campus in Dublin.
The boy has yet to indicate a plea and will face his next hearing at the Children’s Court on Tuesday. Mr Walsh asked that the teenager would appear in person rather than via video link.
Tusla, the child and family agency, confirmed the facility was a residential unit that provides 24-hour care and offers services to those seeking international protection.
A female staff member who attempted to intervene also sustained minor injuries and was taken to hospital, while other teens and adults fled the scene.
The Embassy of Ukraine in Ireland confirmed it is making the necessary arrangements for the repatriation of Vadym Davydenko’s body to Ukraine. A Garda family liaison officer has also been assigned to assist.
