Car thieves steal child’s life-saving medication during special family ceremony

By Mary Dennehy

A TALLAGHT family has issued a warning this week after cars were targeted by thieves while they were attending a special Christening and Communion service in St Anne’s Church on Saturday –with a child’s life-saving medication among the items stolen.

In the past year, The Echo has reported on a number of incidents where cars parked outside the Bohernabreena church were broken into – with a warning also issued by the family of a Tallaght bride, whose wedding and honeymoon suitcases were stolen from outside the scenic church last summer.

This week, Ken and Rachel Byrne from Old Bawn have warned those visiting St Anne’s to be aware that the isolated car park is being targeted by thieves, after two vehicles were broken into during a special family occasion and robbed of valuables – including medication, which put a child’s life at risk.

The couple was christening their baby daughter Lydia and also celebrating the First Holy Communion of their eight-year-old daughter Beth, who, suffering from Cystic Fibrosis and Duane syndrome, has recently come out of a coma.

Beth, who was in 2013 nominated for her bravery and lust for life in the National Children of Courage Awards, was given the special day by her parents after a tough couple of months.

Rachel told The Echo: “Due to Beth’s illness, Saturday was a really precious day to us . . . and we couldn’t believe it when we came out of the church to discover two cars had being broken into.

“The cars belonged to two of our guests, with one of the cars belongingto the family of a sick girl who is a friend of Beth’s. 

“Whoever robbed the car took a bag of medicine that this young girl needs to survive and her parents, who had travelled up from the country, had to try and get replacement drugs as soon as possible from the hospital.”

She added: “I never knew that this car park had problems like this, if I had I would have asked somebody to keep an eye out.

“However, we didn’t allow those who robbed the cars to ruin our day, when you have a sick child you learn how to be resilient and get on with what needs to be done – and we went on and had a great day.

“Beth’s close friends and family travelled from different parts of the country to celebrate with her and nothing was going to put a dampener on her day she deserved it to be happy.

“However, I wanted to highlight what happened to us and warn other families using the car park to be aware.”

The family has also asked anybody with information or who may be offered medication to contact Tallaght Garda Station.

South Dublin County Council, which is responsible for the car park, installed warning signs in the area last year.

When contacted this week about any additional plans for the carpark’s security, the local authority said that “no further security measures are currently proposed”.

Gardai confirmed to The Echo that they are investigating an incident of criminal damage and theft which occurred outside St Anne’s Church in Bohernabreena on Saturday, August 27 at around 3pm.

Anybody with information is asked to call Tallaght Garda Station on 6666000.