A five-year-old girl, severely injured in a stabbing event at Parnell Square, Dublin, in November last year, has finally managed a home visit, her mother reveals. On the said date, three children were victimised in the horrific event adjacent to Gaelscoil Coláiste Mhurie, with two of them being released from the hospital within the same month.
A caregiver, who succumbed to similar injuries, endured more than a week in the ICU. As per the mother’s update on the GoFundMe fundraising webpage, the little girl was brought home for the first time after the dreadful incident in November.
The family has relocated to a specially adapted home; this was the girl’s first encounter with her new surroundings. The mother quoted it as a “big step towards bringing her back home for good”, calling her daughter a “warrior”.
Earlier in June, it was reported that the girl was responsive to the medical team and her communication skills were improving. In the previous month, there were discussions on her being released from the hospital before autumn. The fund-raising campaign, entitled Barróg do Chailín Beag (A Hug for a Little Girl) has gathered over €96,000 thus far.
Riad Bouchaker (50), homeless and docked with three attempted murder charges, awaits trial. Other charges against him encompass inflicting serious harm on a caregiver, assaulting a man present on the scene, and three counts of child abuse. There is also an allegation for possession and fabrication of a weapon, a 36cm kitchen knife.
Post this incident, the city centre encountered anti-immigrant protest gatherings, which took a violent turn leading to arson attacks, lootings, riots, and altercations with the police.