Jessica on her First Communion day with Amanda, grandmother Tessie Pugh, mother Tessie Farrell, Helen, and Christopher. Amanda was the last to be taken into residential care at age 10, though the abuse began when she was five. Instead, one by one, the children were taken into care from ages three to 10, Amanda being the last. Christopher Farrell: 'I reached a stage where I was either going to hang myself or take that first step. During that first referral to foster care, when Tessie saw her husband abusing Amanda, the siblings said they were all put back in the house afterwards.

Source: Irish Examiner March 06, 2026 20:00 UTC