Search for Missing Dublin Boy Enters Ninth Day; Father Tried to Let Out Council Apartment

Dublin: The search for a young boy missing from north County Dublin — feared dead after disappearing four years ago — has entered its ninth day, with Gardaí continuing intensive operations on marshy land along the Portrane Road in Donabate. The child, who would now be around seven years old, has not been seen since 2020.

Surveyors were brought in on Thursday to assist Garda teams, using advanced GPS mapping equipment to identify precise search areas. Wooden markers were also placed at multiple points across the site to guide the investigation. Sources said authorities are considering extending the search timeframe if no breakthrough is achieved in the coming days.

Father Attempted to Rent Out Apartment

In a new development, it has emerged that the boy’s father attempted to let out the family’s two-bedroom apartment at The Gallery in Donabate — despite the property being owned by Fingal County Council. A social media post advertised the flat for student accommodation at €1,500 per month, though no public responses were recorded.

The boy’s father has since moved to South America, where he is believed to have started a new life. The child’s mother, who was born in Africa but raised in Ireland, continues to live in the apartment. Both parents remain in informal contact with investigators.

Parents’ Version of Events Under Scrutiny

Investigators are working on the assumption that the child died in the apartment, with both parents maintaining that he passed away in his sleep from natural causes. According to their account, they panicked and secretly buried him in nearby marshland.

Sources previously revealed that the boy was changed from his pyjamas into day clothes before being buried, wrapped in a blanket, and placed in a rucksack along with his favourite teddy bear. Gardaí have also been told that the grave was dug by hand and may have been shallow enough for wild animals, such as foxes, to disturb the remains.

No Trace of the Child in the Apartment

A forensic search of the Donabate apartment found no belongings of the child — no toys, clothing, or personal effects.

“There’s no sign of anything belonging to the little boy in the apartment, not even a toy or clothes,” a source said. “With everything gone, it’s as if he never lived there — but he did. The only item Gardaí recovered was a single photograph of him, hidden away inside.”

Despite the absence of physical evidence in the home, Gardaí from Swords Station remain convinced the boy existed and are treating the case as a suspected unlawful burial.

The operation in Donabate continues, with authorities determined to find answers in one of Ireland’s most distressing missing-child cases.