THE INQUEST into the deaths in April 2008 of the Flood family in Clonroche, Wexford, revealed that Diarmuid Flood had serious mental health problems which led him to kill his wife and children before killing himself.
The court returned verdicts of unlawful killing in the deaths of Lorraine (38), Mark (6) and Julie (5) Flood and a verdict of suicide in the death of Mr Flood (41).
At 6am on Saturday, April 26th, the Enniscorthy Fire Brigade was called to a house fire in the village of Clonroche. Inside the house the firemen found the bodies of the Flood family.
Mr Flood was found sitting in a chair in the sitting room of the family home, next door to the family business. He had died from a gunshot wound to the head.
His wife’s body was found in a bedroom upstairs. She had been shot in the chest with a shotgun before the fire engulfed the house.
Toxicology results showed traces of an anti-depressant in her system. Dr Seán Nixon, coroner for north Wexford, said: “Lorraine was in good health and was in very good form. There is no suggestion that Lorraine was in any way depressed.”
The inquest heard evidence from a doctor and nurse from the Clonroche Medical Centre who outlined how Mr Flood had visited them on a number of occasions leading up to the tragic weekend.
In his statement Dr James Kirrane said: “Diarmuid Flood visited the surgery on Thursday, April 17th. He felt depressed about work being quiet and he said he felt low during the winter months.”
Dr Kirrane said Mr Flood told him he was waking up in the middle of the night sweating and with heart palpitations. He broached the subject of self-harm and suicide with him but he said he would never do something like that. He also feared he had cancer.
Following a full physical examination, Dr Kirrane told Mr Flood he was in good health. A blood ideas onwhich he got on April 21st, showed a lowered cholesterol level.
Dr Kirrane said he had written to St Senan’s Hospital in Enniscorthy to request an appointment for Mr Flood to meet a psychiatrist. It was discovered later that a letter had been written to Mr Flood regarding an appointment on April 28th – two days after he was found dead.
Coroner Dr Nixon said: “Diarmuid was suffering from depressive illness and kept it to himself. He worked away as normal up to the day he died. Diarmuid’s mind was very disturbed, Diarmuid had some very serious concerns about his health.”
Julie Flood was found in her bedroom upstairs. She was lying in the bed with a teddy under her right arm. It is believed that she had been smothered before the fire broke out.
Mark Flood was found in the charred remains of his bedroom and his body had suffered extensive damage in the fire.
Pathologist Dr Declan Gilsenan said: “I cannot say for certain the cause of death, but my best guess would be that they were smothered by a pillow or something like it.”
Dr Nixon said: “What happened I cannot explain, maybe no one can explain. In cases of familicide, strangely this may have been seen as an act of love by Diarmuid Flood.”
Following the verdicts being returned by the jury, Dr Nixon added: “This has been a very, very hard year for the Flood and Kehoe families. I know the inquest will not bring all the answers. In cases like this, there are no winners, there are only victims.”
Dr Nixon said Mr Flood loved his wife and children and was very close to them. He said the family had no relationship problems and no financial worries at the time.