A 16-year-old boy who was in the care of the North Eastern Health Board died after inhaling butane gas in a flat just 15 metres from the residential care home to which he was attached, the inquest into his death heard yesterday.
Shane Hafford was described at Drogheda Coroner's Court in glowing terms by the health board staff who had cared for him and played football with him just hours before his death.
Returning a verdict of death by misadventure, the jury added a recommendation to the Department of Health and Children to "urgently" move the residential home out of Drogheda town centre to a more appropriate location.
Shane had inhaled large breaths of the gas in a flat across the road from Valhalla, the residential childcare home he was living in on Magdalene Street in Drogheda. His friend Diane Tiernan, ran to the home for help.
Childcare worker Stephen Tuthill went immediately to the flat and did CPR with another careworker as they waited for the ambulance. Mr Tuthill told coroner Ronan Maguire the flat was 15 metres away. He said the home tried to provide a family-like structure for the children and Shane could "come and go as he pleased".
Donal McCormack, regional manager for residential childcare for the Health Service Executive, said Valhalla was not a secure detention centre regulated by statute nor was it a high-support unit.
The Social Services Inspectorate in 2001 had highly commended the staff but said the location was inappropriate and recommended it be moved one mile from the town centre. Relocation would reduce the risk of exposure to adverse influences on young people.