After human remains were found in the search for missing child Daniel Aruebose, it is expected they will be removed from the site today for a post mortem to take place.
The remains - which Gardaí believe to be Daniel - were found during a search of open ground on Portrane Road in Donabate, north county Dublin, on Wednesday.
Newstalk’s Chief Reporter Barry Whyte gave an update on the investigation on Newstalk Breakfast, having been close to the site where Gardaí made the discovery.
“Gardaí remained at the site at this area of wasteland on the Portrane Road in Donabate until it got dark last night.
“The area remains cordoned off, [and] there were diggers on site. There was a large spotlight that remained focused on this particular area, where the remains and some clothing was found yesterday.
“The state pathologist should be arriving today. The skeletal remains of Daniel Aruebose who is believed to [have been] around two-and-a-half to three years old will [then] be exhumed."
Daniel Aruebose
The post mortem, due to be carried out imminently, will descide the direction of next steps from Gardaí.
"The Garda Technical Bureau will conduct a forensic examination of the area where the body was found.
"Once this is done, DNA tests will be carried out to confirm the child’s identity, but Gardaí are confident that it is little Daniel, and then a post mortem will be carried out”.
“The post mortem will decide where this Gardaí investigation goes. Next detectives [will] try to find exactly what happened to this child. Detectives hope the post mortem will reveal whether Daniel died of natural causes, whether he died accidentally, or whether he died in a more sinister way.
"Given that it is skeletal remains here, it may take some time before they find out exactly what happened”.
When a body is found in this manner, there are multiple potential offences that may have been committed.
“In relation to arrests, I don’t think there will be any arrests anytime soon, but finding skeletal remains does offer grounds for arrest - even if the post mortem doesn’t determine the cause of death.
“Failure to notify the authorities of a person's death is a criminal offence, the proper disposal of a body is a criminal offence, and aiding the concealment of remains is also a criminal offence,
"The post mortem will determine where the next step is."
Daniel's parents have remained in contact with Gardaí during the investigation into his disappearance.
“The parents have cooperated with the Gardaí throughout the search [since] it started. The mother of the child has been in contact with the gardaí throughout and she has been to the search site with her solicitor at one point.
“It is my understanding that the father, who is living abroad in Brazil I understand, has also been in contact with Gardaí."
Questions are now being asked of state bodies like Tusla, as to how Daniel Aruebose was allowed to be missing for so long without notification to relevant authorities.
“There’s serious questions to be asked here, and we’ve heard it over the last number of weeks. The Children’s Ombudsman has been very critical of Tusla, we know that there's going to be a review by the National Review Panel.
“The Minister for Children, Norma Foley, said yesterday that it [the review] should happen soon, but how soon, we don’t know."
