Family Forum / Parenting / Adoption / March 2005

Here it even applies to the mother of a dead baby:  

Gardai renew appeal to the mother of dead infant
Tom Shiel in Castlebar          
       
 Gardaí are hoping that items of clothing on the dead infant
discovered in a shallow grave in north Mayo on Sunday will help them
to identify the baby.

Door-to-door inquiries were continuing yesterday in the Carrowtigue
area of Erris to determine the identity of the woman whose dead baby
was found in a black bin liner.

Chief Supt Tony McNamara repeated his appeal to the mother to come
forward and assured her that she would be treated with the greatest
sympathy.

He added: "We are perplexed that the mother has not come forward. We
do understand she may be frightened to come forward. But I would
assure her again, she will be treated with courtesy, consideration and
compassion.

"We feel somebody else knows about the matter as well and because of
misguided loyalty to her, they feel they do not want to say anything.

"But they are not doing her any service.

"It would be far better for them to come forward and they would be
doing her a greater service."

The infant, discovered by local youngsters in the townland of
Kilgalligan on Sunday, was 7lbs in weight and had been born around the
middle of last week.

The baby was born full term and death occurred shortly after birth,
gardaí say.

The services of a female gynaecologist and a psychologist have been
secured through the Health Services Executive, Western Region, to
attend to the mother should she come forward.

"These professionals will travel to meet this woman in any location in
absolute privacy and secrecy," Chief Supt McNamara said. "I can give
the woman involved my personal assurance that she will be dealt with
sensitively and with compassion."

Helen

Here is a follow-up to the previous piece:

Gardai interview mother of dead baby

Gardaí interviewed a woman yesterday and afterwards, Chief Supt Tony
McNamara, who has been heading the investigation, said he was
satisfied she was the mother of the infant.

In keeping with an assurance made earlier this week that the mother
would be treated compassionately and that no details would be released
which might reveal her identity if she came forward, the chief supt
was sparing in his information to reporters.

"All I can say is that the woman involved is over 18 years of age," he
said. "I won't say where she is from, not even if she is from Co
Mayo." He said the woman was traumatised by her whole experience. "The
birth and the circumstances of the birth will have taken a lot out of
her," he added, "as well as the fear and worry she has gone through
since the actual birth took place just over a week ago."

The mother will be given a medical examination today.

Helen