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The boy at the centre of a Garda search over fears he was killed and secretly buried was in state care for at least a year before he vanished.
The Irish Mirror has confirmed that the boy was placed in Tusla care shortly after his birth in 2018 until at least his first birthday - before being given back to his parents in 2020.
Sources told The Irish Mirror the boy - who was aged three when he was last seen four years ago - had been placed in Tusla care as the parents were planning on having him adopted.
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But it's understood the parents changed their mind in the second year of the boy's life and he was returned to his mother and father.
Tusla confirmed it had engagements with the child's family up to 2020 but it said there were no referrals or information of concern about the boy until August of this year when staff contacted gardai.
Tusla said in a statement: "In response to queries about any engagement our services had with this child and family, whilst the priority at this time is to allow An Garda Siochana to conduct their investigation, we do want to be open and transparent with the public without impacting the investigation.
"At the request of the family, our services had previous engagement with this child and their family, and these services ceased in 2020.
"Since 2020, no new referral or new information of concern was received about this child until August 2025. On foot of this we contacted An Garda Siochana with our concerns for the safety and wellbeing of the child.
"As is normal process, where there is a serious incident or death involving a child open to, or previously known to our service, we conduct a review of our engagement and that review is sent to the National Review Panel.
"While this is being completed, the priority must be on allowing An Garda Siochana to complete their investigations, without doing anything to interfere with that, and with that in mind we will not be providing further detail on our involvement with the child and their family at this time."
News that the little boy had been in state care came as gardai began searching land in north Dublin on Tuesday morning - in a search for his remains.
Sources say gardai, who began an urgent investigation on Friday after being notified by Tusla that it had concerns for his safety, have spoken to several people connected to the child - and as a result identified open land in Donabate that is now the focus of their investigation.
It's understood officers from Swords Garda Station have been given information that the child's remains were buried in the land, which is on the Portrane Road on the outskirts of the north Dublin town.
Gardai sealed off the site on Monday evening - and began the search of the open land on Tuesday morning.
Gardai brought in a cadaver dog that can trace the scent of death to the site on Tuesday afternoon.
Nothing had been found at the scene as of Tuesday evening, but the search is expected to continue on Wednesday.
Sources say gardai are also continuing to speak to the boy's parents - who are both being treated as witnesses and who have been cooperating with investigators.
The woman, who is from Africa but has been living in Ireland for several years, has told gardai that the boy was killed by her ex-partner, who is Irish and is now living outside the country.
But it is understood the father has insisted the boy died of natural causes.
Although no remains have been found yet, gardai do believe the child is dead and has been secretly buried.
Sources say that the only way detectives will be able to establish the truth is if the remains are found and a postmortem and other scientific tests prove if the child died from a sudden illness or accident - or if he was killed.
Gardai confirmed the search operation in a statement early on Tuesday morning.
The statement said gardai believed the boy was dead and appealed for any witnesses to come forward.
It said: "Gardaí in Swords are continuing to investigate all of the circumstances of the disappearance and current whereabouts of a 7-year-old boy.
"Concerns for the boy were raised by the Child and Family Agency (Tusla) and reported to An Garda Síochána on Friday 29th August 2025.
"The boy is last known to have resided at The Gallery Apartments, Donabate, Co. Dublin.
"It has been a number of years since there has been any confirmed sighting of the boy, who would now be 7 years of age.
"Following enquiries carried out by and information available to investigating Gardaí to date, An Garda Síochána has been unable to either locate the boy, identify any information on his current whereabouts or any evidence that he is currently alive.
"Investigating Gardaí believe that the boy is missing, presumed dead. Yesterday evening, 1st September 2025, investigating Gardaí took control of an area of open ground in Donabate, Co. Dublin which will be the subject of a search in the coming days.
"The Garda investigation is being led by a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) based out of an incident room established at Swords Garda Station.
"Gardaí are appealing to anyone who has any information in connection with this investigation to contact Swords Garda Station on 01 666 4700, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
"No arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing."
Gardai were informed about the case on Friday.
Officers later declared a property in north Dublin a crime scene and have been searching it and other locations in the last few days.
Sources tell us suspicions were initially raised by workers from the Department of Social Protection who had interaction with the child's mother.
She was attempting to claim child benefit, but was unable to provide any supporting documents, such as school attendance records.
That led to Tusla getting involved, and officials there then contacted gardai in Swords on Friday.
That in turn prompted a fast moving Garda investigation and the property was sealed off over the weekend - with the mother being interviewed by officers.
The case has chilling echoes to that of little Kyran Durnin, reported missing to gardai in his native Drogheda, Co Louth on Friday, August 30 last year.
That case was upgraded to a murder probe in October last year.
Officers suspect he may have been dead for several years and the last confirmed sighting of the boy - who would be nine if he were alive today - was in mid 2022.
Two people, a man and woman, have been arrested as part of the Kyran probe. The man, Anthony Maguire, 36, took his life days after being released without charge.
The woman has not been charged and investigations are continuing.