The “little angel” who was critically ill in hospital after being slashed with a knife in an attack on a school in Parnell Square that shocked the nation, now has to “relearn everything as a result of her injury” her mother says.
In an update to a Go Fund me page, which has raised some €60,000 for the costs around the long recovery expected for the 5-year old girl, her mother explained that her daughter has now entered the 3rd phase of her recovery.
“Hi everyone, our darling girl has now entered the 3rd phase of her recovery,” she wrote.
“This will be the longest as she will relearn everything as a result of her injury. She has done really well thus far and the medical team is very happy with her improvement.”
“Once again, she is so strong and we are proud to be by her side supporting her, guiding her, and, above all, loving her every step of the way.”
Just after Christmas, the little girl’s mother had written: “Our angel has been out of the PICU for two weeks now. She is more alert and even smiled. We still have a long time still in hospital, but she is out of danger.”
The little girl was one of three children and a care worker stabbed outside Gaelscoil Choláiste Mhuire in Parnell Square in November.
The GoFundMe page, which is entitled ‘Barróg do Chailín Beag’ (A Hug for a Little Girl), seeks to help the family with costs of after the incident, and the update was to thank everyone for their help and give the good news about the girl’s condition.
“Barróg is the name of the teddy who has been keeping a special school seat warm,” Róisín, a family friend who set up the fundraiser said.
“I’m setting up this GoFundMe specifically for the little girl who is currently in Temple Street fighting for her life. This fund is to help her family (who I know personally) in any way that they need to get them through this nightmare – whether its medical costs, their lunches, hospital parking, travel etc,” Róisín wrote at the time.
The suspect in the multiple stabbing incident has appeared before the courts.
Riad Bouchaker, originally from Algeria, and who has lived in Ireland for two decades. and is 50 years of age, was brought before Dublin District Court on December 21st to face eight charges in relation to the incident which saw the five year old girl and the female child care worker seriously injured.
The man had come to Garda attention several times in the previous year, including for possession of a knife last May, though he escaped conviction “due to a mental health report” produced in court.
It was reported that during the reading of the charges laid against Bouchaker, he said ‘I am a sick man’ – and that he was unable to understand what was being said in the court before Judge Bryan Smyth.
He listened to proceedings with the help of an Arabic interpreter.
Boucharker was charged with the attempted murder of a male child, two separate counts of attempting to murder two female children, and causing serious harm to a care worker.
He was also charged with assault causing harm to another male child and a girl as well as production of a 36cm kitchen knife.
A candlelit vigil was held in O’Connell Street in Dublin in December for all those injured in the unprecedented knife attack. Prayers were offered for the children and their care workers at the GPO as candles were lit and held up by participants.
Parents and supporters of Gaelscoil Cholaiste Mhuire hold a vigil at the Spire on O’Connell Street for the children and creche worker who were stabbed outside their school last Thursday night pic.twitter.com/nMIDDXOTX7
— Alison O’Reilly (@AlisonMaryORE) November 30, 2023