This article is from page 4 of the 2008-09-30 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 4 JPG
THE heartbreaking circumstances surrounding the deaths of a brother and sister within ten weeks of each other earlier this year have been re- called at inquests into their deaths.
Philip Madden (18) died on Janu- ary 13 last, while his sister Rachel (17) died on March 22, at the family home in Clonlara.
The Coroner’s Court in Ennis last week heard that their father Michael discovered both bodies at the back of the home. In his deposition, Michael
Madden said that his son Philip had been drinking and arrived home at around 9.30pm on January 13 last.
After a short while, his son went out the back of the house. When he didn’t return, the father went out to see where he was and found him hanging. He tried mouth to mouth resuscitation, but his son did not respond and was pronounced dead some time later that night.
The inquest heard that Philip’s sister Rachel went into Limerick city with a friend on March 22 last. She arrived home at 12.45pm. The inquest heard
that she seemed to be very happy in herself. At around 2.40pm, her father went out to feed rabbits in the back yard and saw Rachel hanging.
The inquest was told that Rachel’s sister found a note in her bedroom, dated March 22.
An autopsy carried out on Philip’s body showed elevated levels of alco- hol.
Pathologist Dr Vouneen Healy, who carried out an autopsy on Rachel’s body, said no alcohol or drugs were ClaKererere
Coroner Isobel O’Dea said she
would record open verdicts in both cases, 1n accordance with the medi- cal evidence.
She noted that the level of alco- hol in Philip’s system was elevated “which may or may not have affected his decision”.
She said she was conscious of the fact that Rachel had undergone coun- seling and had gone through a stress- ful time.
‘As a parent, I can’t imagine what it must be like to lose two children in such sad circumstances in such a short space of time,” she said.