GP accused of killing her daughter tried to drown herself, court hears
The trial of an Offaly GP accused of killing her daughter has heard she tried to drown herself after she knew the 11-year-old had passed away.
Bernadette Scully has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Emily Barut at their home at Emvale, Bachelor’s Walk in Tullamore in 2012.
Bernadette Scully told Gardaí she gave Emily two doses of the sedative Chloral hydrate after she awoke during the night screaming and crying.
The court heard previously that Emily was born with severe physical and learning difficulties and required 24-hour care.
She said Emily had a massive fit later that morning and she felt panicked - she’d never seen one like it before so she gave her a third dose.
She said Emily stopped breathing and she couldn’t get her back.
She said she just wanted to die herself. She said she felt she’d let her down.
She wrapped her in her duvet, put her teddy beside her and gave her a kiss.
She told Gardaí she then tried to drown herself in a nearby canal. She was later found unconscious after taking an overdose.
The 58-year-old GP denies unlawfully killing her by an act of gross negligence involving the administration of an excessive dose of the sedative.
