The father of a new-born baby abducted in Cork on Sunday spoke yesterday about the relief he and his wife shared when the infant was found safe and well.
John Donal O'Brien, who was born at 11 p.m. on Saturday at the Erinville Hospital, was taken at 7.20 p.m. on Sunday during visiting time. It is understood that a 19-year-old Waterford woman who is helping gardai with their inquiries, together with her two sisters, aged 11 and 12, had entered the hospital some time previously and chatted with people in the nursery, including members of the O'Brien family.
At a news conference in Cork Mr John O'Brien said his wife, Bridget, was overcome with emotion yesterday when she was told her baby had been recovered from a hotel room at Midleton, Co Cork, and was being brought back to the hospital by ambulance.
"I think she was nearly worse on hearing the baby had been found alive and in good health than she was when she heard he had been taken. I'm very proud of the way she has stood up during all of this. It's been a very traumatic time," he said, adding that the person who abducted the baby probably needed medical help, which he hoped she would get.
Mr O'Brien said he and his two daughters, Charlene (12) and Nicole (9), returned to Ballyporeen, Co Tipperary, after visiting the hospital on Sunday. When he was telephoned about the abduction he returned to the Erinville as quickly as possible.
The parents waited anxiously for news throughout the night, and just before 8 a.m. yesterday Supt Kieran McGann got in touch to say the baby had been found. The baby is to be named John Donal, "John after myself and Donal after an uncle who looked after me as a youngster," Mr O'Brien said.
Mr O'Brien said neither he nor his wife felt anger. Their overwhelming emotion was one of relief. "I just hope it will not happen to any other couple. Bridget had a Caesarean section and that was difficult enough without this happening, too. But we're just glad to have our son back alive and well. All we want to do now is get on with our lives. I suppose after this the hospital will hold Bridget for a day or two longer.
"Would we use the facilities at the Erinville Hospital again? We wouldn't have any problem as long as security was dealt with," he said.