Gardaí have found the body of a three-year-old child on a piece of land in Dublin, sparking suspicions that it could be missing toddler Daniel Aruebose. The discovery was made on September 17 after a nearly three-week search by the Garda’s DMR North Divisional Search Team. The child’s remains were manually buried in a marshy area.
Although human remains believed to be the toddler’s have been unearthed, DNA tests are still pending to confirm the identity. A Garda spokesperson stated that there are no updates on the DNA identification process at this moment.
Investigations continue into the circumstances surrounding Daniel’s death, following his disappearance in the summer of 2021. His parents, Maria Aruebose and Ciaran Dirrean, confessed to burying him in a shallow grave after he allegedly died from natural causes. The couple admitted to moving his body in a backpack to a remote location where they dug the makeshift grave by hand.
Following Daniel’s death, Mr. Dirrane relocated to Brazil while Ms. Aruebose stayed in their Donabate apartment. The child’s suspected skeletal remains were found after a 16-day search by the Gardaí, marking a tragic end to the quest for the missing toddler.
Despite a post-mortem examination yielding inconclusive results, further tests are being conducted to determine the cause of death and confirm the child’s identity through DNA analysis. A community vigil held in memory of Daniel in Donabate drew a large crowd, with parish priest Fr. Pat O’Reilly expressing the community’s desire for closure and support for the young boy.
Fr. O’Reilly mentioned that funeral arrangements are pending as tests are ongoing. Daniel’s disappearance was only discovered in late August during an inspection by social services authorities.
Details emerged that Daniel’s parents insist he died in his sleep, prompting them to bury him secretly with his cherished teddy bear. The extensive search for the three-year-old, who would have turned eight in December, began on September 2 after the area where he was buried was secured by law enforcement.
Recent reports indicate that Gardaí seized Maria’s new phone as part of their investigation, along with a single photograph of Daniel found in their residence. Both devices are undergoing forensic analysis to uncover any relevant information related to the case.
The ongoing inquiry is focused on examining the seized phones for communication records, internet activity, and location data to shed light on the events surrounding Daniel’s death and burial. The child had been put up for adoption but was returned to his parents after they were provided housing by the local council.