Gardai upgrade Daniel Aruebose case to homicide as remains identified just before 8th birthday

Gardai have launched a homicide investigation into the death of tragic child Daniel Aruebose.

Officers have taken the major step of upgrading the investigation to homicide after the skeletal remains of the child, which were discovered in Donabate in September, have finally been formally identified.

In a major update gardai said that tomorrow would have been young Daniel’s eighth birthday - and that the long awaited DNA analysis had been completed and confirmed that the remains found were those of the missing child.

Tragic Daniel went missing at around age three and officers have believed that he was secretly buried on land off the Portrane Road in Donabate, Co Dublin in 2021. The remains were discovered when the investigation commenced in August.

Today gardai confirmed that following the identification of the remains the investigation had been upgraded to a homicide probe - which encompasses murder and manslaughter.

“Following enquiries conducted to date and based on information available to investigating Gardaí, An Garda Síochána has commenced a homicide investigation into Daniel’s death,” a garda spokesperson said. Gardaí continue to keep Daniel’s family informed of all developments in this ongoing criminal investigation.

“An Garda Síochána is again appealing to the public for any information that may assist in the investigation into the homicide of Daniel Aruebose. Members of the public are urged not to assume that Gardaí already possess information they may hold, or that any detail is too small or insignificant. The investigation team will determine the relevance of any information provided. All contact will be welcomed and treated in the strictest confidence,” they added.

Gardai also issued a statement regarding what they said was “extensive public commentary that has circulated in relation to this investigation.”

“Gardaí are appealing to all members of the public to verify any information they encounter—particularly speculation, rumours, or theories about what may have happened to Daniel. Please independently verify any content you read on social media or messaging apps before sharing it,” they said.

Gardai recovered most of the believed skeletal remains of Daniel from the land after searching the area that was identified by his mother - who was cooperating with the investigation. Investigators have also spoken with the child’s father, who resides in Brazil.

The parents of the child, who have been cooperating ever since officers knocked on the mother’s door on August 29, have insisted that they discovered him dead of apparent natural causes back in 2021. The mother of the child twice travelled to the search site to help identify the spot she told investigators she had buried the child four years ago. She is now understood to be residing in a new location outside of Donabate.

The parents have claimed that they moved Daniel to a bath before taking his remains to the field - several kilometres from the home they were living in at the Gallery Apartments roughly 3km away.

Tragic Daniel’s disappearance was only discovered when officials from the Department of Social Protection made checks on a social welfare payment related to him and were unable to determine his location earlier this year. The issue was flagged to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, who in turn raised it with gardai.

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who has any information in relation to the death of Daniel to contact the investigation team at Swords Garda Station on 01 666 4700, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or at any Garda Station.

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