The Clare Champion Clare news, sport, entertainment and local notes
AN eight-year-old girl who was found with serious injuries at a home just outside of Clarecastle last week is no longer in a critical condition and is now “out of danger” in hospital, gardaí have confirmed.
The youngster and her 46-year-old mother who had come to Clare from Ukraine were brought to University Hospital Limerick on Tuesday morning. The mother, who was found unconscious at the scene, is still under medical care but she is making a good recovery.
The girl, who it is understood suffered a large number of stab wounds, was transferred last week from Limerick to a hospital in Dublin where she had been in a critical condition.
A spokesperson for the gardaí confirmed to The Clare Champion this Wednesday that the girl’s condition is no longer critical.
“She is still in hospital and she is out of danger,” he said.
The mother and daughter had been living at a house in which a number of other Ukrainian families are also being accommodated just outside of Clarecastle. It is understood that another resident of the house became concerned and contacted the emergency services before 8am last Tuesday.
Gardaí and emergency services attended the residence where they discovered the girl with serious injuries and her mother unconscious.
An incident room was established at Ennis Garda Station and a Senior Investigating officer appointed to oversee the investigation.
A Family Liaison Officer has been appointed to the family.
The investigation into the incident is ongoing with Superintendent John Galvin appealing to anybody who may have any information which could assist the investigation to contact gardaí.
Ennis parish priest Fr Tom Ryan has said that the mother and daughter have been in the thoughts of those who have been taking part in the diocesan pilgrimage to Lourdes this week.
Speaking to The Champion from Lourdes Fr Tom said, “We very much brought the concerns and prayers of that family with us on our pilgrimage and while we are here they have been very much in our prayers each day.
“I’m glad to hear while we are here that the young girl is out of danger. We are praying for both mother and daughter at this time, but also for the Ukrainian community in the Ennis area, and the wider community throughout the country because everybody has been affected by this tragedy that happened in our midst last week.”
Anybody with any information which could assist the investigation is asked to contact the investigation team at Ennis Garda Station 065 6848100, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
