Gardaí are investigating whether another child was used to impersonate missing eight-year-old Kyran Durnin to trick social services.
It comes after investigators identified another child who care workers reportedly believed was the disappeared boy.
Police believe at least four people may have been involved in attempts to cover up the death of Kyran.
On Wednesday, gardaí upgraded his missing person’s case to one of murder after receiving intelligence which said he had died.
Kyran was reported missing from his home in Drogheda, Co Louth, on August 30 this year but gardaí believe he could have been dead for up to two years.
Gardaí are investigating whether another child was used to impersonate missing eight-year-old Kyran Durnin to trick social services
On Wednesday, gardaí upgraded the young boy’s missing person’s case to one of murder after receiving intelligence which said he had died
His mother Dayla, who was also reported missing at the end of August, has been located in the UK safe and well.
Gardaí are now trying to establish the last time Kyran could be verified as being alive, be that medical records, a photograph, eye-witness accounts or CCTV.
As the investigation continues, gardaí now believe that at least four people were involved in the death and subsequent cover-up. Several security sources have told the Irish Daily Mail that gardaí believe a group of people were involved in Kyran’s disappearance.
‘You have to understand that right now gardaí are still very much in the fact-finding aspect of this case,’ one source said.
‘There are so many strains to this investigation already. You also have to remember that there’s no body right now so gardaí can’t ascertain cause of death, any potential murder weapon or give a reasonable timeline of when he actually died.
‘But what they are doing now is working through all the evidence to pinpoint a time where they can say for sure he was alive.
‘In relation to who was behind his death, gardaí are still keeping an open mind but they’re almost certain that there was a group of people behind it. There’s also a theory that this was an accidental death and that this group of people worked in concert to avoid the authorities getting involved.
‘This would include disposing of the body as well as doing certain things that would make it seem to people that he was still alive.’
Gardaí are now probing how Kyran’s school, as well as Tusla representatives who interviewed the Durnin family, did not know the child was missing. In response to questions from the Mail, Tusla said that it could not comment on individual cases.
A spokeswoman said: ‘In particular we are conscious that there is an ongoing Garda investigation into this sensitive case. We will continue to work closely with gardaí and other parties as required at this time.’
Questions are also being asked as to how the State’s child safety mechanisms failed to detect a child had been missing for two years. This is something which our security sources described as being ‘bizarre’. They stated: ‘Gardaí were only informed of a missing person’s case in August and then it was like opening Pandora’s box. The more and more they look at the case, the more unbelievable it’s getting.
Dayla Durin, 24, was reported missing along with her son but is now reported to have been found in the UK
‘Gardaí are now going to Kyran’s school to check records of attendance as well as if any incidents or alerts were made in relation to his safety. The fact that Tusla was involved in this boy’s life already is very important also. How many opportunities were there to realise he was missing?’
Reacting to the news earlier this week, local Labour TD Ged Nash said anyone deliberately concealing information about Kyran should examine their conscience.
‘I would appeal to anybody who can throw light on this situation… to speak with An Garda Síochána,’ he said. ‘There’s no two ways to describe this – it’s any family’s worst nightmare. There will be people who know what happened so I would ask them to examine their own conscience and do the right thing.’
Fine Gael TD for Louth Fergus O’Dowd described the case as ‘hugely shocking’, adding: ‘It’s important to let the gardaí continue their investigation without people speculating what happened, but this is obviously a very tragic case. All I can do is try and encourage those with any information to come forward.’
Gardaí continue to plead with anyone with any information, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant, to contact them.
A spokesman said: ‘Gardaí are appealing to anyone who has any information in connection with the disappearance of Kyran to contact Drogheda Garda Station on 041 987 4200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
‘Any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, will be welcomed by the investigation team. This information will be treated in the strictest confidence. No arrests have been made. The investigation is ongoing.’