Gardaí investigating the killing of two young boys by their older brother are liaising with the HSE to see if there were any concerns about his mental state in recent weeks.
Nine-year-old twins Tom and Paddy O’Driscoll were found dead at their family home at Deerpark in Charleville in north Cork on Thursday by neighbours after the alarm was raised by their younger brother, Jimmy (5).
Their older brother Jonathan (21) was found later that evening some 15km away. He had apparently taken his own life.
Jimmy and his three-year- old brother Martin had been playing with friends when they returned home at about 5pm to discover their older brothers had been stabbed to death.
Search begun
The four boys were being minded by Jonathan. When there was no trace of Jonathan or his Toyota Corolla car at the house, gardaí began a search for him. His body was discovered at about 6.30pm in woodland near Buttevant.
Deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis carried out postmortem examinations on all three brothers yesterday. They were expected to confirm the twins had been stabbed to death and that Jonathan had died from asphyxia.
Although gardaí have yet to formally comment on the nature of their investigation, privately they have indicated that they are treating the deaths as a double murder followed by a suicide and that they are not looking for anyone else in connection with the deaths.
Gardaí have begun inquiries with the HSE after it emerged that Jonathan had recently engaged with its mental health services section in north Cork.
Their inquiries are focusing on whether there were any signs which could have warned them of the tragedy which unfolded.
Birth mother
It is understood that Jonathan, who was first fostered and then adopted by the O’Driscolls when he was just a few months old, had contacted the HSE and made repeated efforts in recent weeks to try and trace his birth mother but without success.
“He was certainly trying to find his birth mother recently but there may have been other issues involved as well and to link his actions simply to his search for his birth mother may not tell the full story behind whatever triggered this tragic sequence of events,” a source said.
Gardaí are expected to speak to HSE mental health service staff to try and get an insight into Jonathan’s state of mind in recent weeks. They are also due to speak to his friends to see if he had given any indication of any problems.
Gardaí are understood to have recovered a number of mobile phones belonging to Jonathan and have begun examining them to find out who he contacted leading up to Thursday.
Samaritans is available round-the-clock on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org
