County Dublin house sealed off as cops told child 'killed and secretly buried'

A house in north County Dublin has been sealed off as Gardaí investigate disturbing claims that a young child was murdered and secretly buried there years ago.

Gardaí cordoned off the property and began searching it over the weekend after a woman claimed her ex-partner killed the child, believed to be a boy, the Irish Mirror reports. The child - who has not been seen for several years - would have been eight years old today if he were still alive.

Sources told the Irish Mirror that Gardaí believe the child is dead and are treating the woman's claims as credible. The case was brought to their attention on Friday - exactly one year to the day since officers received a missing person report for eight-year-old Irish schoolboy Kyran Durnin.

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The woman made the startling claim during an interview with Gardaí from Swords Garda Station on Sunday. The investigation was launched after Gardaí were contacted by officials from Tusla, the Child and Family Agency.

Concerns were first raised by the Department of Social Protection after the child’s mother - believed to be from Africa - continued to claim child benefits, but failed to provide any supporting documents such as school records. Tulsa was alerted and contacted Gardaí in Swords on Friday.

A Garda spokesperson told the Irish Mirror on Monday: “Gardaí are currently carrying out a number of operational enquiries in North County Dublin. An Garda Síochána is not in a position to provide any further detail at this time.”

It comes after Kyran Durnin was reported missing from his home in Drogheda, Co Louth,in August last year. The child - who would have been nine years old today - has not been seen since June 2022, and it's suspected he may have died that same year. Gardaí upgraded the case to a murder investigation in October. Anthony Maguire, the 36-year-old man arrested in connection with Kyran's suspected murder, was found dead in December.