Infant died 'due to want of attention at birth'

A newborn infant girl found dead at Irishtown in Dublin last July died "due to want of attention at birth", a jury in Dublin's Coroner's Court found yesterday.

The court heard that the baby had not been identified since being found on the shoreline at Irishtown's Nature Park last July 14th, nor had her mother come forward.

Mr Albert Marshall, Irishtown, told the court he had been swimming in the area that afternoon when he noticed a black and grey bag wedged into rocks.

He thought it had been left behind by another swimmer and' lifted it to a higher spot as the water level was rising. It was then about 2.45 in the afternoon.

About an hour later he looked inside the bag and found two rocks and a yellow plastic bag. Eventually he opened the yellow bag and saw the hands of a child.

Mr Marshall stopped a passing cyclist who had a mobile phone and asked him to ring the gardaí.

A report by the assistant chief State pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, read to the court, said the baby was full term and showed no obvious sign of injury. The umbilical cord was still attached.

Dr Cassidy said there was no evidence of congenital abnormalities and no obvious bruising. There was still blood and mucus in the nostrils.

The lungs were well inflated, indicating the baby was born alive. All organs were normal. The body was very clean.

She felt inattention at birth was the cause of death.

Garda Ian Redican, of Irishtown station, told the court he was on patrol-car duty that day when he received a call at 4.26 that afternoon to attend the scene.

He met Mr Marshall and Mr Brendan Reilly, who had called the gardaí.

He saw the baby, whose head was exposed from wine-red and blue towels. At 5.40 p.m. Dr Conall Hooper formally pronounced the baby dead.

Det Sgt Colm O'Malley told the court the file on the case would remain open ad infinitum.

He said a team of between 15 and 20 gardaí had been working on it.

There had been calls from the public and two statements were taken, but neither mother nor child was identified.

He said hospitals had also been checked as to whether any women sought attention around that time, but without success.

He repeated assurances that anyone coming forward with information would be treated with the utmost sensitivity.