Mother who killed baby son before taking own life wrote note saying child was 'too beautiful for this world'
by Seán McCárthaigh · Irish MirrorAn inquest has heard that doctors could not have foreseen that a woman with a number of health complications would kill her baby son before taking her own life in their home in Dublin two years ago.
The bodies of Kate Donohoe and her ten-month-old son, Vincent, were discovered at a house in Beechfield Court. Clonee, Co Dublin on October 8, 2022.
An inquest at Dublin District Coroner’s Court on Monday heard that a handwritten note found on a coffee table in the house dated October 4, 2022 had read: “Vincent is too beautiful for this world.”
Relatives of the deceased as well as doctors gave evidence that Ms Donohoe (43), an animal lover who had run a successful dog grooming business, was fearful about her ability to manage a number of medical conditions including diabetes and low sodium levels while also on anti-depressants.
They also all testified how much she loved her son and enjoyed being a mother. The State pathologist, Linda Mulligan, who carried out a postmortem on the two bodies concluded that they had both died as a result of an insulin overdose with no other contributory factors.
Prof Mulligan said the evidence suggested that Ms Donohoe and her son might have been dead for several days before their bodies were discovered.
A consultant in perinatal psychiatry at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin, Anthony McCarthy, gave evidence that Ms Donohoe had shown no clinical symptoms of depression. Prof McCarthy recalled that she had spoken all the time of her love for her son and the joy of caring for him.
The consultant said Ms Donohoe had felt like she was in a good place “with her son and her dogs”, although she had also spoken about being lonely. However, Prof McCarthy said there was no reason to think that any formal clinical mental illness had contributed to her death.
He stressed that there was a “warmth” to her, while her “pleasure and joy” in her son was obvious.
Prof McCarthy observed that it seemed to be one of those very rare cases that could be described as “an altruistic killing.” Ms Donohoe’s father, John, recalled last seeing his daughter the previous week in Luttrellstown Castle in Dublin when she seemed OK and was talking about looking at houses near where he lived in Athlone, while his grandson was “in very good form.”
While his daughter had a lot of health problems, he told the coroner, Cróna Gallagher, that she was extremely good in managing her various conditions. He praised his daughter’s discipline in looking after her health as she was “juggling a lot.” Mr Donohoe said she was “euphoric” at discovering she was pregnant.
While she was on anti-depressants, Mr Donohoe said she was never evidently depressed but there were times when she was unhappy. Asked by the coroner if she ever had thoughts about ending her life or harming herself, Mr Donohoe replied: “I don’t think she felt hopeless about life but about ever feeling better again.”
However, he stressed that he believed his daughter was of a happy disposition and “not anti-life.” Mr Donohoe pointed out to the coroner that he believed that the date of October 4 was of significance to her as it was the anniversary of his ex-wife, Kate’s mother.
Ms Donohoe’s neighbour, Donal McPartlin, who made the gruesome discovery, sobbed continuously as he recounted entering the deceased’s house after his wife had asked him to check on her after a friend had raised concerns about not hearing from her for several days.
Mr McPartlin said he knew straight away something was wrong as the front door was open and Ms Donohoe’s two greyhounds appeared in a distressed state. He described how he “panicked and was in shock” after going upstairs and finding Ms Donohoe lying on her back in a nightdress on her bed with her son beside her “I just knew they were both dead. Kate’s face was pale white,” he added.
His wife, Anna McPartlin, told the inquest that Ms Donohoe had been very angry about how she had nearly died during a traumatic pregnancy. However, Ms McPartlin said that following her son’s birth she was very happy and making plans for the future. “She was ecstatic and so happy – looking back, maybe too happy,” said Ms McPartlin.
However, she stressed that her neighbour was “absolutely and completely in love with that baby.” Ms McPartlin also said Ms Donohoe had been very upset about how sick she had been and had once remarked to her: “I’m scared I’m going to die young.” “She was really worried about her health,” she added.
The deceased’s sister, Niamh Donohoe, said her sister was never so happy and fulfilled as with her son’s birth. “She adored him and dressed him beautifully. I remember thinking it was very intense,” the witness observed. However, she described her late nephew as his mother’s “safety blanket.”
Ms Donohoe said she did not know how her sister managed with Vincent without having a strong circle of support and knew she was worried how she would fare as a lone parent. She told the hearing that her sister was wonderful and impulsive but not depressive and attributed the tragic deaths to “a moment of not coping.” “She was a beautiful, kind soul and Vincent was her world,” she remarked.
Vincent’s father and Ms Donohoe’s ex-husband, Tom Connolly, who still had an on-off relationship with the deceased after their divorce, said he was “blown away” by the love she had shown their son and had thanked her every day for how she was “a brilliant mother.”
Mr Connolly admitted they had a disagreement in September 2022 when he had sought to regularise access to his son when Ms Donohoe had replied that she was not going to allow it. Ms Donohoe’s family doctor, Conor Maguire, said she had found her health problems were “burdensome” and was fearful of something happening to her when she was alone with her son.
In reply to questions from the coroner, Dr Maguire said she was “very aware of the severity of her physical health issues.” Detective Inspector Liam Donoghue confirmed a Garda investigation had found no element of foul play by a third party at the scene where the two bodies were found.
The detective confirmed that a large number of insulin pens were found in a wastepaper basket in Ms Donohoe’s bedroom. Besides the note about her son on the coffee table, Det Insp Donoghue had also left a copy of her will as well as instructions about people to be contacted.
He told the coroner that there was no evidence of either Ms Donohoe or her son being seen alive after October 4, 2022. The inquest heard gardaí had been unable to access the contents of Ms Donohoe’s phone because it had been found in a glass of water in her bedroom.
A jury of five women and three men returned a verdict of unlawful killing in relation to baby Vincent Donohoe and one of suicide in relation to his mother. Offering her condolences to their family and friends, the coroner said what happened was “a very unspeakable tragedy.” Dr Gallagher observed that everyone at the hearing had been deeply affected “by the manner in which these deaths occurred.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, please contact Samaritans helpline on 116 123.
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