Dublin child deaths: Deirdre Morley treatment investigation call backed

An Irish mental health service provider, which treated a woman acquitted of murdering her three children, has backed a call for an investigation into her treatment.

Deirdre Morley was found not guilty by reason of insanity on Thursday.

Conor, nine , Darragh, seven, and three-year-old Carla McGinley were found dead at their house in Newcastle, County Dublin, in January 2020.

Ms Morley was suffering from a severe psychotic illness at the time.

She believed the children had been irreparably damaged by her depressive illness and her parenting.

On Thursday, Ms Morley's husband said he wants to meet the professionals who treated his wife before she killed the children.

Andrew McGinley called for an "inclusive investigation into Deirdre's diagnosis, treatment and medication prior to this tragedy".

"We ask for this to be conducted as a matter of urgency.

"This will help us understand the insanity that took the lives of our beloved Conor, Darragh and Carla," he added.

Andrew McGinley said he wants to meet the professionals who treated his wife before she killed the children

On Friday, St Patrick's Mental Health Services issued a statement saying Ms Morley spent a period of time as a service user with them.

The statement went on to say that "given the court verdict, St Patrick's Mental Health Services supports the call for an independent, inclusive investigation into Ms Morley's treatment, and any other factors which may be pertinent to this tragic event".

It added: "St Patrick's Mental Health Services is committed to the provision of the highest quality mental healthcare, including adhering to the highest human rights and child protection principles.

"It is imperative that we identify what can be learned from this tragic event. This includes fully and sensitively investigating if anything could have been done to prevent the deaths of three innocent children, and to help avoid any family in the future suffering a similar fate."

Conor, Carla, and Darragh McGinley pictured with their father, Andrew McGinley

The trial had heard evidence that Ms Morley believed she had seriously damaged her children because of her mental health problems, an issue she first raised with psychiatrists in late 2018.

She continued to express such thoughts during the next year as her depressive illness became more serious. The trial also heard Ms Morley had masked her condition from her husband and others.

Ms Morley smothered the three children and then attempted to take her own life.

Three year old Carla McGinley was found dead alongside her brothers Conor and Darragh

Mr McGinley told Irish broadcaster RTÉ, that he has accepted that his wife was not in her right mind on 24 January 2020.

However, he said that he will never be able to break the connection between her and what happened.

"I'm going to struggle with that every single day. I really am."