Teenager remanded on charge of murdering girl
An 18-year-old man appeared in court today charged with murdering a 12-year-old girl whose body was found dumped by a canal.
Jonathan Byrne, from Lohunda Downs in Clonsilla, west Dublin was detained on Saturday after the schoolgirl’s body was found by an elderly man.
Michaela Davis was found dead in thick undergrowth on a steep bank between a commuter rail line and a path beside the Royal Canal near her home in Porterstown in the west of the city.
It is believed she was strangled.
Byrne was remanded in custody at a brief hearing in the Criminal Courts of Justice.
Detective Sergeant Dan Callaghan, of Blanchardstown Garda Station, told the court Byrne made no reply when he was charged by Sergeant Joe Delaney late last night.
He is accused of killing Michaela in the early hours of Saturday morning on Porterstown Road – between where the schoolgirl’s body was recovered and her family home in a housing development called the Village.
Judge Patrick Clyne granted an application by defence solicitor Eugene Dunne for free legal aid.
He also requested that Byrne be given medical attention.
Byrne, who wore a grey coloured hoody, light blue jeans and white runners, did not speak during the brief hearing.
He waved to someone in the public gallery of the District Court as he was led away by prison officers.
The teenager was remanded in custody to Cloverhill Prison and will appear before Cloverhill District Court on Friday morning.
Michaela had started secondary school at Luttrellstown Community College last week, but was hanging around with older teenagers and some young adults.
The 12-year-old had been out with friends on Friday evening before she went home that night.
She last seen alive just after midnight on Saturday morning when she told her family she was going out and would be back in a few minutes and left on her bike.
Michaela was reported missing just over two hours later by parents Brendan and Deirdre when she never came home and a major search operation was launched by gardaí.
Shortly before 4pm on Saturday Michaela’s remains were spotted by a walker hidden in thick undergrowth just minutes from her home. Her bike was recovered at a second scene.
Within four hours Byrne was detained at Blanchardstown garda station.
Counsellors and psychologists were on hand at the Luttrelstown school to help shocked pupils and teachers come to terms with the young girl’s death.
Principal Fionnuala Ni Chaisil said a short service in memory of Michaela was held in the school at lunchtime.
“Everybody is nice and calm and we are helping everyone to be as it should be here in our own community. The children are our priority,” she said.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the Davis family.”
Staff from the school met last night to put in place a critical incident management team and arrange for guidance counsellors and the Vocational Education Committee (VEC) psychological support unit to come to the school. Counselling sessions were held with pupils throughout the day.
Forensic teams remained at the scene around the canal searching hedgerows and surrounding land.
Several roads around the family home and the crime scene also continued to be sealed off.
