The Troubled Lives And Tragic Deaths Of Five Teenagers In Care
Twenty children have died while in State care between 2000 and 2010, according to the HSE. Eight of these children died of a medical condition while the remainder died of other causes - typically drug overdoses, suicide or road traffic crashes. Minister for Children Barry Andrews told TDs in the Dáil yesterday that in one case a murder case was under way.
The HSE has not published a single report into the death of a child while in State care in the past decade. The report into the death of Tracey Fay was completed in October 2008. Fine Gael TD Alan Shatter took the unusual step of publishing the report this week against the wishes of the HSE, which has since accused him of violating the constitutional rights of Tracey Fay's family.
The HSE denies it is "covering up" its own failures and instances of malpractice. It says due process must be followed when publishing sensitive reports and all family members and people mentioned in the report should be contacted beforehand.
Four reports investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of individual children are understood to be complete and awaiting legal approval to be published. The HSE says it is contacting family and people mentioned in the inquiry reports before it formally publishes them.
Mr Andrews said an additional 10 reports were currently being prepared into the deaths of children in care by the HSE. He denied that reports were "gathering dust" on his office shelves.
Next week the Health Information and Quality Authority will publish new guidelines for the HSE to follow in relation to the conduct of investigations into the deaths of children in State care and the publication of reports.
It is expected to recommend that reports into the deaths of children in care should be published within at least two months of being completed. It will also recommend the appointment of an independent chairman to a panel to handle investigations.
DANNY TALBOT (19)
Danny Talbot (19) died in summer 2009 from a suspected drugs overdose. He spent most of his life in the care system and was in receipt of aftercare from the HSE when he died.
While he was placed in foster care after the death of his father at the age of nine, his behaviour began to deteriorate. He ended up in numerous emergency care placements, including out-of-hours hostels for homeless young people.
DAVID FOLEY (17)
David Foley died of a drugs overdose in 2005, three years after being admitted into the care system. He had voluntarily sought care at the age of 14 and ended up being admitted into a series of emergency hostels for homeless teens in Dublin’s city centre. Professionals familiar with his case say he should have received more suitable forms of care, such as family support, which could have allowed him to live at home or in his community.
The HSE said yesterday this report was complete and would be published shortly.
TRACEY FAY (18)
The Dublin girl died of a drugs overdose in January 2002. She had suffered serious physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her mother and her mother’s partner. The HSE asked independent expert Michael Bruton to draw up the report into the circumstances surrounding Tracey Fay’s death. The report was published this week by Fine Gael TD Alan Shatter.
It is strongly critical of the health authorities for their “chaotic” provision of care services and highlights the many “missed opportunities” when the State should have intervened in Tracey’s lifetime. It includes 47 recommendations on how to improve child-protection services here.
KIM O'DONOVAN (15)
Kim O'Donovan was found dead from a suspected overdose in August 2000 in a city centre B&B. She had been in care under a High Court order but had absconded from Newtown House, the first secure unit of its kind in the Republic. A subsequent report was highly critical of the quality of care provided to the children in Newtown House. It was one of the factors that led to its closure.
MICHELLE BRAY (14)
From Dungarvan, Co Waterford, the teenager died in January 2007 after inhaling some of the contents of a deodorant can. The HSE had been warned more than a year previously that the girl’s life was in danger unless she was placed in residential care.
The HSE has asked Dr Harry Ferguson, professor in social policy and social work at the University of the West of England in Bristol, to undertake an external review in this case.