The mother of a traumatised young woman, whose expressed intent to kill her mother is taken very seriously by gardai, must move immediately from her current residence and county after the High Court heard there is no medical basis for the woman to be made a ward of court.
The president of the High Court, Ms Justice Mary Irvine, said on Wednesday there is “nothing more imperative than the safety and life” of the mother and her position should top any priority list of a council when it comes to rehousing her.
On agreement of all sides, the judge adjourned until Monday the making of final orders which would withdraw the wardship proceedings initiated by the Child and Family Agency (CFA).
The 18-year-old woman, described as a “very serious” risk to her mother and certain others, had opposed wardship.
Psychiatrists say she needs to be placed in a medium secure care unit but all such units approached to date, including in the UK, are unwilling to take her.
History of assault
There is a prior history of assault and sexual violence in the case and an incident earlier in 2019 lead to the woman's admission to special care. She had described her intentions and a large knife was found, the court heard.
She had set out in a manuscript a plan to kill and mutilate someone which, the CFA said, was treated as a "definite" threat. She also talked about wanting to go to college, reflecting a form of "deep seated disordered thinking."
It was considered she would need to be placed in a UK specialist unit as the level of complexity presented exceeds anything the services here have come across, the CFA said.
She is currently in a special care unit, which is not secure, on foot of court orders and is subject of criminal proceedings in the District Court in relation to charges of alleged assault. She was also questioned by gardai last week in relation to an alleged spitting incident.
In light of the withdrawal of the wardship application, efforts will be made to procure her agreement to an appropriate voluntary placement, the court heard on Wednesday.
