A young lass who bore the brunt of a stabbing attack alongside several others in central Dublin last year has now been discharged from the hospital. The child, just five at the time of the horrifying ordeal on Parnell Square, on the 23rd of November, was left in a critical state and battling for survival.
Fast forward to last Friday, after enduring 281 days at the Temple Street Children’s Hospital, she and her family have embarked on a “fresh phase” in her continuous recovery journey.
Her family provided an update on the gofundme.com platform today, stating: “Today we commence a fresh phase in our sweetheart’s rehabilitation, which we affectionately refer to as ‘The Gym’. Our aspiration is that she develops the capability to eat, enhance mobility of her limbs, and produce more vocal sounds.”
A month prior, her parents disclosed the catastrophic impact the incident had on their lives, exceedingly unprepared for what befell their daughter.
They initiated a gofundme page, Barróg do Chailín Beag (A Hug For A Little Girl), where they revealed that their day had started ordinarily enough. The gut-wrenching call that followed at 1.45pm upended their world: “Something happened! Your daughter was stabbed in front of the school.”
“I raced there to encounter a horrifying sight. I saw my little girl on the ground, with doctors and paramedics struggling to resuscitate her. It was the stellar team at Temple Street Children’s Hospital that revived her.”
The family acknowledged that queries have been raised regarding the prolonged recovery time and future health status of the little girl.
“The human brain is significantly intricate. Lack of oxygen for an extended period can wreak havoc on the body. The more time it takes to recover, the harder it is to regain functionality”, they remarked.
The family emphasised the strengths of their “brave little girl”, stating that her youth, previous good health, and the strong support network of a dedicated medical team, adoring family, caring friends, and prayers from around the world are bolstering her recovery. Significant improvement has been observed in her condition over time, helping them understand the powerful lessons of patience and grit. Recovery has been a gradual process, initially an hour at a time, then a day, and now a week at a time, soon to progress to a month at a time. The family insisted there was no rush, and they would welcome the blessings as they present themselves.
The little girl had a chance to return home for a day, to a reconfigured house in a fresh locality. Meanwhile, Riad Bouchaker, aged 50, currently stands trial for numerous charges including, three attempts of murder, ownership and usage of a kitchen knife, three accusations of assaults resulting in injury, and one resulting in severe harm.
A triple stabbing incident, that occurred outside Coláiste Mhuire on Parnell Square, left two additional young children and a carer wounded. The incident left the carer critically hurt, necessitating her stay in the Mater hospital for more than a month. However, she has made a good recovery and persists with her medical check-ups.
Neither the victims nor their families involved in the dreadful episode have chosen to publicly share their accounts of the incident.