Youth's death not linked to assault

Gardaí in Co Kerry said yesterday that they had carried out an extensive investigation into the sudden death of a 16-year-old…

Gardaí in Co Kerry said yesterday that they had carried out an extensive investigation into the sudden death of a 16-year-old Somali youth in Tralee last February, and were satisfied it was not connected to an earlier alleged assault on the boy in a school in the town.

The boy, who belonged to a family seeking asylum, was taken ill at his direct provision accommodation, Atlas House in Tralee, on February 12th, and pronounced dead at Kerry General Hospital.

The family, which comprised his mother and siblings, has lived in Tralee since January 2004.

The 16-year-old was assaulted by a student at his school in late January, it was alleged, and fell and hit his head.

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The incident was reported to gardaí at the time, and the teenager was examined by a doctor.

Sgt Bill Browne said yesterday a postmortem examination was carried out on the teenager, and preliminary results suggested the cause of death was due to either a brain tumour or a parasitic infection.