Partner hindering attempt to take murdered woman's children home
Attempts by murdered mother Baiba Saulite’s family to take her two young children back to her native Latvia are being thwarted by her estranged partner, it was claimed today.
The young woman’s brother Karlis Saulites said his family wanted to bring the infants, being looked after by social services, to live in Riga.
He had travelled to Ireland to hear the opening of an inquest into his sister’s killing in Swords, Co Dublin, by a suspected hit man last November.
The full hearing was postponed until March 11 next year after Garda Inspector Pat Leahy asked Dublin County Coroner Dr Kieran Gerraghty for a “lengthy adjournment”.
Speaking afterwards through an interpreter, Mr Saulites revealed he would be seeing his young nephews, Ali-Alexsandra (aged 5), and Mohamed Rami (aged 3), during his trip.
The pair were in bed upstairs when their 28-year-old mother was gunned down as she smoked a cigarette in the hallway of their home at Holywell Square, Feltrim Road, Swords.
In the year before her death she had been caught up in a bitter tug-of-love battle with her estranged partner over their two young boys.
Lebanese criminal Hassan Hassan had fled Ireland with the youngsters after the couple’s relationship fell apart but he later returned and Ms Saulite secured custody of the boys.
Hassan, aged 38, is serving two consecutive sentences of two years and four years in Mountjoy Prison for abducting the boys and running a luxury car ringing scam.
He was refused bail to attend Ms Saulite’s funeral in Riga last December and look after the two boys.
Mr Saulites said his family were devastated by the loss which will stay with them forever.
His translator said: “It’s going to stay with them for the rest of their lives … his mother is still taking medicine, she is not feeling well.”
He said the family were in contact with the children but attempts to bring them to Latvia were being prevented by their father.
State Pathologist Professor Marie Cassidy confirmed at the brief hearing that Ms Saulite was hit three times in the suspected contract killing.
She died from the gunshot wounds while choking on the blood from her injuries, said Professor Cassidy.
Investigating officer Inspector Leahy was granted a request made under Section 25.1 of the Coroner’s Act to adjourn the hearing as the case continues.
Detectives have made several arrests over the murder but no-one has been charged.
Ms Saulite’s solicitor, John Hennessy, also received death threats, including an attempted arson attack on his house last February.
Ms Saulite had previously told friends and neighbours she feared for her safety. There was an arson attack on her car in the weeks before her murder.
Crimestoppers offered a €10,000 reward for information on the murder.
