File submitted to prosecutors over Kerry Babies case

By Cillian Sherlock, Press Association

Gardaí have submitted a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions after an “extensive investigation” into the death of a baby in Kerry more than 40 years ago.

The body of the five-day-old infant, known as Baby John, was found with multiple stab wounds in a bag on a beach in Co Kerry in April 1984.

The high-profile discovery became known as the “Kerry Babies” case, and led to a state apology over the treatment of a local woman.

Joanne Hayes was arrested and charged after Baby John’s body was found in 1984, but the charge was later dropped and a tribunal of inquiry was set up to investigate the handling of her case by gardaí.

Advances in DNA profiling then confirmed that Hayes, as she always maintained, was not Baby John’s mother.

In 2018, taoiseach Leo Varadkar, justice minister Charlie Flanagan and An Garda Síochána apologised to Hayes.

In March 2023, a man in his 60s and a woman in her 50s were arrested as part of the investigation but later released without charge.

In January 2018, An Garda Síochána announced a review into the death of Baby John, and its Kerry Division has since carried out an “extensive” investigation, supported by the Garda Serious Crime Review Team.

Hundreds of people have been interviewed and more than 560 lines of inquiry have been initiated.

In September 2018, Baby John’s remains were exhumed and taken to the morgue at University Hospital Kerry in Tralee for examination, and were reinterred later that afternoon.

Baby John is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery in Caherciveen.

On Sunday, a Garda spokesperson said: “An Garda Síochána in Kerry Division supported by the Garda Serious Crime Review Team have carried out an extensive investigation into the discovery of the body of a male infant at White Strand, Caherciveen, Co Kerry, on 14 April 1984.

“An Garda Síochána can confirm that an investigation file has been submitted to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

“An Garda Síochána has no further comment at this time.”