DPP to take no case over killing of infant 33 years ago

The DPP does not intend to take any criminal proceedings in relation to the death of a baby girl in south Dublin 33 years ago…

The DPP does not intend to take any criminal proceedings in relation to the death of a baby girl in south Dublin 33 years ago.

The remains of a baby girl were discovered in a plastic bag in Dún Laoghaire in 1973. The infant had been stabbed to death.

Two weeks ago the Minister for Justice rejected a request by the coroner to authorise the exhumation of the infant's remains in Glasnevin cemetery.

Michael McDowell said he did not believe making the exhumation order would be warranted.

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Eleven years ago, Cynthia Owen came forward claiming to be the mother of the baby girl, called Noleen. She has claimed the baby was one of two to whom she gave birth at a young age as a result of sexual abuse during the 1970s when she was living in Dalkey.

She has also claimed the other infant was buried in the back garden of her family home in Dalkey but a Garda search last year did not uncover any remains.

A Garda file was sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions following the allegations but no prosecution in relation to the death was directed yesterday, according to Ms Owen's solicitor.

"The DPP's decision has now been furnished to my solicitors and I note with considerable disappointment that the DPP has decided that there are to be no prosecutions in this case," she said.

Ms Owen said her legal team would be seeking a meeting with the Minister for Justice "to ask the Minister precisely what he now proposes to do, bearing in mind the substantial number of questions that remain unanswered in relation to my abuse as a child, the murder of my newborn baby and all related matters".

This is the second call from Ms Owen for Mr McDowell to investigate the infant's death.

A spokeswoman for the Department of Justice said the office had not yet received correspondence from Ms Owen's solicitor but would consider the proposed meeting.

"The Minister will consider any correspondence for a meeting," the spokeswoman said.

On June 8th, Mr McDowell rejected a request by the Dublin County Coroner to exhume the remains of the baby girl, who is buried in the communal Little Angels plot in Glasnevin cemetery.

He did so on the grounds that "what would be involved in this instance would amount to a mass exhumation of infant remains, on a scale never contemplated or anticipated".

Following Mr McDowell's decision, Ms Owen called on him to investigate the infant's death.

The inquest into the baby's death was reopened last September after legal representations were made on behalf of Ms Owen and had been adjourned to a future hearing.