Second digger excavating ground at search site for missing boy

"Two small internal areas of interest that were created within the larger cordon have now been made into one area, and this single internal cordon is now the focus of all the search team. The site was first closed-off on Monday of last week, meaning this is the ninth day gardai have been at the scene which lies on the outskirts of Donabate close to Portrane. The initial search of the area began with surveys of the waste ground which is largely overgrown."

"This included the use of a cadaver dog trained to locate human remains. The small mechanical digger which has been at the site since Sunday continues to operate at the scene, scraping away surface scrub and clay which is then analysed for any forensic evidence. The bigger digger is then excavating the ground previously uncovered by the smaller one. A spokesperson from the garda press office said operational searches remain ongoing."

Two small internal areas of interest within a larger cordon were combined into a single internal cordon that is now the focus of all search teams. The site, on the outskirts of Donabate near Portrane, has been closed off for nine days. Initial searches surveyed overgrown waste ground and used a cadaver dog trained to locate human remains. A small mechanical digger has been scraping surface scrub and clay for forensic analysis while a larger digger excavates ground uncovered by the smaller machine. Operational searches remain ongoing. Tusla raised welfare concerns about the boy on August 29 and had previously engaged with the family five years earlier. Tusla reported no child protection concerns before the case was closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. The case has been referred to the independent National Review Panel, which will compile a chronology, identify interviewees including Tusla and HSE staff, and draft analysis and conclusions for the Minister to consider for publication.

Read at Irish Independent