The woman arrested over Baby John walked free from a Garda station tonight – after she was quizzed for 24 hours on suspicion of murdering him.
The Mirror has confirmed that the woman, who is in her 50s, was released from Castleisland Garda Station in Co Kerry at around 7.30pm on Friday night – at the end of her detention period.
Sources have confirmed to us gardai are investigating whether DNA could establish who Baby John's mother is.
Baby John – a five-day-old baby - was stabbed to death in rural Co Kerry before being dumped on a beach in Caherciveen in April 1984.
READ MORE: The case that shocked the nation: Four decades on, we look back on the Kerry Babies tragedy
Although she was free tonight, officers were still questioning a man – who was also being held on suspicion of the murder of Baby John, whose killing sparked the Kerry Babies controversy.
The pair were both arrested at the same approximate time in Kerry on Thursday evening – but custody rules meant gardai had to release the woman last night.
A Garda spokesman said tonight: “This evening, Friday 24th March 2023, the female in her 50s, arrested in relation to the discovery of the body of a male infant at White Strand, Caherciveen, County Kerry on 14 April, 1984 has been released without charge.
“The male in his 60s remains under detention at a Garda station in the south of the country.
“An Garda Síochána has no further comment at this time”.
Both suspects were offered the chance to have their detention suspended for eight hours at midnight on Friday – with the man accepting, and the woman declining.
That meant gardai were able to quiz her through the night – while they could only question the man from 8am today.
But that also meant that her time ran out just after 7pm and gardai had to release her - while they have until early Saturday to keep questioning the man.
Sources say the man is also likely to be released without charge by around 11am on Saturday.
Detectives probing the stabbing murder are now expected to prepare a file for the Director of Public Prosecutions on the case – who will then decide if both or either of the suspects should be charged.
The arrests came almost two years after gardai exhumed the body of little Baby John – who was murdered in early 1984.
The baby’s body had 28 stab wounds when it was on the rocks at White Strand near Caherciveen in April of that year.
The baby was murdered just five days after he was born and the Garda probe into his death and that of another baby around the same time caused a public outcry – and the creation of a special tribunal of inquiry.
The baby’s mother and killer have never been identified but the Garda case has always remained open – even though the events happened almost 40 years ago.
Gardai exhumed Baby John’s remains from Holy Cross Cemetery, Caherciveen in September 2021 as officers took a fresh look at the murder.
The remains were then taken to the morgue at University Hospital Kerry, Tralee, for examination as part of the Garda probe, which included local gardai and detectives form the Serious Crime Review team, part of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation.
Officers have been working away on the case in the background – and made their moves on suspects late on Thursday.
Gardai said after the arrests that they were a significant development.
Superintendent Flor McCarthy, who is leading the Garda probe, said: “"The arrests are a significant development in this investigation in an effort to establish the truth surrounding the death of Baby John in 1984 and deliver justice for Baby John. I am again appealing to the public for any information in relation to the death of Baby John in 1984. Anyone who comes forward will be treated with sensitivity and compassion.”
But gardai also repeated their plea for witnesses to come forward.
The force said: “An extensive investigation has been ongoing since 2018 into this incident by Gardaí in the Kerry Division supported by the Garda Serious Crime Review Team. Hundreds of people have been interviewed and over 560 lines of enquiry have been initiated.
“Anyone with information is asked to contact Killarney Garda Station (064) 667 1160 the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.”
The initial investigation into Baby John’s death in 1984 saw gardai drawing up a list of pregnant women who had either left the county or had not appeared to have a new-born infant.
Gardai then focused on Joanne Hayes, who was at the time living in Abbeydorney, around 80 kms away.
She was arrested by Garda murder squad and was accused wrongly of being the mother of baby John – whole family members were accused of concealing the birth of the tot.
None of that was true and all charges were dropped later that year.
And in 2020 Ms Hayes received a formal apology from the State and a settlement of €2.5 million.
A court also heard that Ms Hayes had given birth to a baby boy, that was named Sane Shane, on April 13, 1984 on the family farm,
The child then died of natural causes and was buried on the farmland.
Gardai have always believed the answer to the murder of baby John lay in the area around Caherciveen and made their moves on Thursday.
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