CRIMINAL CHARGE | 

Two people due in court charged in connection with death of Mason O’Connell (4)

Mason’s broken heart-hearted grandmother Breda was informed of the developments earlier this morning.

7th October 2022

Two people, a man and a woman, are due to appear in court later this morning to be formally charged in connection with the death of 4-year-old Mason O’Connell in Limerick.

The pair – who were known to the deceased child – were arrested late last night and station charged in the early hours of this morning.

Mason’s broken heart-hearted grandmother Breda was informed of the developments earlier this morning.

Mason sustained fatal head injuries at a house in Rathbane, Limerick on March 13, 2021.

He died three days later at Children’s Hospital Ireland, Temple Street, having been earlier treated at University Hospital Limerick and Cork University Hospital.

Gardai previously confirmed that a man and a woman arrested last year in connection with his death were detained on suspicion of murder.

In a statement at the time, gardai said: “Gardai investigating the death of a four-year-old boy in Limerick have arrested a male, in his 30s, and a female, in her 20s, on suspicion of murder.”

They were then released without charge and a file was sent to the DPP..

Last month, Mason’s grieving grandmother Breda O’Connell told the Sunday World of the family’s heartbreak and the torment of not knowing if anyone would be charged over his death.

“This March coming Mason will be dead two years and so far we have had no word of anything,” she said.

“We have been warned, with cases like this, it can take anything up to three years for a decision to come back … but it’s so hard waiting.

“One of the detectives rang me a few weeks ago and although the file has gone to the DPP, it will take time for them to go through all the evidence the gardai have gathered.

“They have to be so careful … and they have to look into every detail to make sure everything has been looked at.

“But they said, the minute they hear back, they will let us know.”

Asked how her family is coping in the wake of Mason’s death, Breda said every day is a struggle.

“The gardai have done their best for us and for Mason.”