Crazy situation. Supposedly her body was infested by maggots while she was still alive. Heard a Garda on the news last night saying there was no reason to treat this death as suspicious.
HEARTBROKEN relatives of tragic four-stone Evelyn Joel yesterday claimed they tried to see her in vain for six months.
But Tom and Maureen Connolly said on each occasion they tried to visit their estranged sister, they were turned away by her daughter Eleanor.
In a statement last night her siblings said they knew nothing of the horrific conditions in which she was living.
Visibly upset, the siblings said they were shocked, saddened and distressed at what had occurred.
Family spokesman Jimmy Gahan said: "They were totally unaware and unfortunately not given access to the house and therefore unaware of the circumstances she was living in."
However, a family member, who spoke anonymously, last night claimed that Eleanor was simply following the wishes of her mother who did not want any visitors.
They said they were 'not coming to terms' with what had happened and appealed for privacy.
Detectives investigating the circumstances surrounding her death said they would not be releasing the results of a post mortem examination by State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy for 'operational reasons'.
But Garda sources told the Irish Independent the frail mother-of-two died as a result of a "combination of ailments, including pneumonia and multiple sclerosis".
An investigation is also under way by the Health Service Executive about how the MS sufferer became malnourished, dehydrated and was left lying on her bed in her own excrement.
Evelyn had lived with her 31-year-old daughter, her partner John Coston (34) and grandchildren Matthew (5) and Jessica (2) for the past year. However, she had not been seen outside for the house for six months.
Last night most neighbours said they hadn't even known she was living in their estate.
It was only when a female relative contacted a local doctor that the emergency services became aware of her plight. Mrs Joel was first discovered by the authorities in a highly distressed state on New Year's Eve. The doctor who was contacted on the Caredoc scheme notified the gardai immediately and the emergency services were called to the three-bedroomed end-of-terrace house.
She weighed four stone and was lying in her own excrement in an upstairs bedroom. Some maggots were also found on her body. The ambulance personnel had to don gloves and gowns before they could remove her. She was admitted to Wexford General Hospital.
Evelyn, just five foot tall, was found to be dehydrated, malnourished and had bed sores.
A LONELY DEATH, P4 & 14
12/01/2006, 9:17 AM
Peadar
Sad situation alright.
Shouldn't this be in the Current Affairs forum?
12/01/2006, 9:22 AM
the 12 th man
Very difficult situation to comment on as the facts are still to be firmly established.Something very odd about it though if what we've heard so far is true.
