Kerry Babies Tribunal
Encyclopedia
The Kerry Babies case is an unsolved murder case dating from 1984 in Kerry
, Ireland
, that dominated the Irish headlines for some months during that year and resulted in a public Tribunal of Inquiry into the behaviour of the Garda Síochána
during the investigation.
On 14 April 1984, a newborn baby boy was found stabbed to death on White Strand beach at Cahirciveen
, County Kerry. A local woman, Joanne Hayes from Abbeydorney
, who was known to have been pregnant, was arrested and she and her family confessed to the murder of the baby. However, they later withdrew their confessions and admitted instead that Hayes's baby had been born on the family farm, had died shortly after birth, and had been wrapped in a plastic bag and buried on the farm in secret. Tests showed that the baby whose body was found on the farm had the same blood type – A – as Hayes and its (married) father, Jeremiah Locke. However, the baby on the beach had blood group O. The Gardaí nevertheless insisted that Hayes had become pregnant simultaneously by two different men (through heteropaternal superfecundation) and had given birth to both children, killing the one found on the beach. Another theory put forward was that the baby's blood type had changed due to decomposition.
Hayes was charged with murder but the charge was thrown out by a judge, and the Kerry Babies Tribunal, headed by Mr Justice Kevin Lynch, was set up to investigate the behaviour of the gardaí in the case. Judge Lynch found that Joanne Hayes murdered the baby on the farm by choking it to stop it crying, in spite of state pathologist Dr John Harbison being unable to determine the cause of death. The judge rejected claims by the Hayes family that they had been assaulted by gardaí, or that the confession
s were obtained through coercion. The report of the Tribunal did not explain how Joanne Hayes and her family came to make confessions containing identical details of events that never happened.
The case raised serious questions about the culture of the Garda Síochána
, and the treatment of unmarried mothers in Irish society. Journalist Nell McCafferty
's book about the case was titled A Woman to Blame. Joanne Hayes co-wrote a book with John Barrett about the episode called My Story. Four gardaí on the case took legal action against the authors and publishers of the book, as well as shops that sold it. They received out-of-court settlements totalling over €127,000.
In the aftermath of the case the murder squad was disbanded, and the four gardaí assigned to desk duties, in what was seen as a demotion. In 2004, Joanne Hayes offered to undergo DNA
testing to establish that she was not the mother of the baby on the beach. However, one of the officers on the case, Gerry O'Carroll, has also sought such tests, saying that he believes the tests will prove the superfecundation theory correct. This testing has apparently not yet been carried out.
The parents of the baby on the beach and his murderer have never been identified.
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, that dominated the Irish headlines for some months during that year and resulted in a public Tribunal of Inquiry into the behaviour of the Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
during the investigation.
On 14 April 1984, a newborn baby boy was found stabbed to death on White Strand beach at Cahirciveen
Cahirciveen
Cahersiveen —alternate spellings Cahirsiveen, Cahirciveen or Caherciveen—is a town in County Kerry, Ireland. It is located on the Iveragh Peninsula near Valentia Island. Cahersiveen is connected to the Irish road network by the N70 national secondary route...
, County Kerry. A local woman, Joanne Hayes from Abbeydorney
Abbeydorney
Abbeydorney is a village in County Kerry in Ireland. Located 9 km north of Tralee, the county town of County Kerry, Abbeydorney had a population in 2002 of 1,140 and forms part of the parish of Abbeydorney / Kilflynn.-Abbey :...
, who was known to have been pregnant, was arrested and she and her family confessed to the murder of the baby. However, they later withdrew their confessions and admitted instead that Hayes's baby had been born on the family farm, had died shortly after birth, and had been wrapped in a plastic bag and buried on the farm in secret. Tests showed that the baby whose body was found on the farm had the same blood type – A – as Hayes and its (married) father, Jeremiah Locke. However, the baby on the beach had blood group O. The Gardaí nevertheless insisted that Hayes had become pregnant simultaneously by two different men (through heteropaternal superfecundation) and had given birth to both children, killing the one found on the beach. Another theory put forward was that the baby's blood type had changed due to decomposition.
Hayes was charged with murder but the charge was thrown out by a judge, and the Kerry Babies Tribunal, headed by Mr Justice Kevin Lynch, was set up to investigate the behaviour of the gardaí in the case. Judge Lynch found that Joanne Hayes murdered the baby on the farm by choking it to stop it crying, in spite of state pathologist Dr John Harbison being unable to determine the cause of death. The judge rejected claims by the Hayes family that they had been assaulted by gardaí, or that the confession
Confession
This article is for the religious practice of confessing one's sins.Confession is the acknowledgment of sin or wrongs...
s were obtained through coercion. The report of the Tribunal did not explain how Joanne Hayes and her family came to make confessions containing identical details of events that never happened.
The case raised serious questions about the culture of the Garda Síochána
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
, and the treatment of unmarried mothers in Irish society. Journalist Nell McCafferty
Nell McCafferty
Nell McCafferty is an Irish journalist, playwright, civil rights campaigner and feminist. In her journalistic work she has written for The Irish Press, The Irish Times, Sunday Tribune, Hot Press and The Village Voice....
's book about the case was titled A Woman to Blame. Joanne Hayes co-wrote a book with John Barrett about the episode called My Story. Four gardaí on the case took legal action against the authors and publishers of the book, as well as shops that sold it. They received out-of-court settlements totalling over €127,000.
In the aftermath of the case the murder squad was disbanded, and the four gardaí assigned to desk duties, in what was seen as a demotion. In 2004, Joanne Hayes offered to undergo DNA
DNA
Deoxyribonucleic acid is a nucleic acid that contains the genetic instructions used in the development and functioning of all known living organisms . The DNA segments that carry this genetic information are called genes, but other DNA sequences have structural purposes, or are involved in...
testing to establish that she was not the mother of the baby on the beach. However, one of the officers on the case, Gerry O'Carroll, has also sought such tests, saying that he believes the tests will prove the superfecundation theory correct. This testing has apparently not yet been carried out.
The parents of the baby on the beach and his murderer have never been identified.