An inquest has heard that doctors could not have foreseen that a woman with a number of health complications would kill her baby son before taking her own life in their home in Dublin two years ago.
The bodies of Kate Donohoe and her 10-month-old son, Vincent, were discovered at a house in Beechfield Court, Clonee, Co Dublin on October 8th, 2022.
An inquest at Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Monday heard that a handwritten note found on a coffee table in the house dated October 4th, 2022, had read: “Vincent is too beautiful for this world.”
Relatives of the deceased as well as doctors gave evidence that Ms Donohoe (43), an animal lover who had run a successful dog grooming business, was fearful about her ability to manage a number of medical conditions including diabetes and low sodium levels while also on antidepressants.
Holyhead Q&A: What is the situation with ferry crossings and when can we expect a reopening?
What should I buy in 2025 if ... I need an ‘affordable’ second car?
Israeli foreign minister calls Taoiseach Simon Harris ‘antisemitic’
Flash of inspiration from Amad casts Amorim’s dropping of Rashford and Garnacho as a masterstroke
They also all testified how much she loved her son and enjoyed being a mother.
The State Pathologist, Linda Mulligan, who carried out a postmortem on the two bodies, said the evidence suggested that Ms Donohoe and her son might have been dead for several days before their bodies were discovered.
A consultant in perinatal psychiatry at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin, Anthony McCarthy, gave evidence that Ms Donohoe had shown no clinical symptoms of depression.
Prof McCarthy recalled that she had spoken all the time of her love for her son and the joy of caring for him.
The consultant said Ms Donohoe had felt like she was in a good place “with her son and her dogs”, although she had also spoken about being lonely.
However, Prof McCarthy said there was no reason to think that any formal clinical mental illness had contributed to her death.
He stressed that there was a “warmth” to her, while her “pleasure and joy” in her son was obvious.
Ms Donohoe’s father, John, recalled last seeing his daughter the previous week in Luttrellstown Castle in Dublin when she seemed okay and was talking about looking at houses near where he lived in Athlone, while his grandson was “in very good form”.
While his daughter had a lot of health problems, he told the coroner, Cróna Gallagher, that she was extremely good in managing her various conditions.
He praised his daughter’s discipline in looking after her health as she was “juggling a lot”.
Mr Donohoe said she was “euphoric” at discovering she was pregnant.
While she was on antidepressants, Mr Donohoe said she was never evidently depressed but there were times when she was unhappy.
Asked by the coroner if she ever had thoughts about ending her life or harming herself, Mr Donohoe replied: “I don’t think she felt hopeless about life but about ever feeling better again.”
However, he stressed that he believed his daughter was of a happy disposition and “not anti-life.”
Mr Donohoe pointed out to the coroner that he believed that the date of October 4th was of significance to her as it was the anniversary of his ex-wife, Kate’s mother.
A jury of five women and three men returned a verdict of unlawful killing in relation to baby Vincent Donohoe and one of suicide in relation to his mother.
Offering her condolences to their family and friends, the coroner said what happened was “a very unspeakable tragedy”.
Dr Gallagher observed that everyone at the hearing had been deeply affected “by the manner in which these deaths occurred.”
If you have been affected by anything in this article, you can contact the Samaritans at freephone 116 123 or Pieta House at 1800 247 247 or text “help” to 51444
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis