Gardaí have been told conflicting things by people who knew the missing child in Donabate.
On Monday evening, Gardaí announced that the young boy was missing after concerns were raised by Tusla.
If alive, he would be seven years old but Gardaí are working on the assumption that he is most likely dead.
Since then, a number of people who knew the child have been interviewed by Gardaí.
“A theme has emerged of accounts which differ significantly and don’t match up,” Conor Gallagher of the Irish Times told Newstalk Breakfast.
“So, one account they’ve received from someone close to the boy is that the boy died in his sleep; an accidental death and that for some reason, it was decided to conceal that death and to bury the boy.
“Another account they’ve received just before that states that the boy was killed on purpose or through an act of manslaughter in legal terms and then buried in the same way.”
Gardaí at the search site in Donabate. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/© RollingNews.ie.An area of land close to where the child lived has been cordoned off and is currently being searched.
It is understood that Gardaí were told by multiple people that the boy is buried somewhere on the plot of land.
A sniffer dog trained in locating human remains has been brought in to help with the search.
Gardaí at a search site in Donabate. Picture by: Eamonn Farrell/© RollingNews.ie.“That’s one of a number of techniques being employed by the Gardaí searching this plot of land,” Mr Gallagher said.
“It’s a couple of acres in size, it’s not an easy area to search; it’s very much a kind of scrubland with thick vegetation growing up to at least hip height.
“Some of the land is covered with trees; another part is kind of an artificial lake made by runoff from buildings from the nearby estates.
“So, it really does not lend itself to a quick search operation and the very inclement and changeable weather over the last few days has not helped.”
Mr Gallagher added that Gardaí are "quietly confident” that the information they have received is accurate.
Main image: Gardaí in Donabate. Picture by: Sasko Lazarov/ RollingNews.ie
