Family of Achill boy (14) left 'in the dark'
Teen died three weeks post covid 19 vaccination
The family of a 14 year boy who died three weeks post covid 19 vaccine have been left ‘in the dark’ their barrister said.
Rita Kilroy, representing the boy’s mother Patricia McGinty, said the family have not had an opportunity to speak to anyone at the hospital where he was treated prior to his death.
Joseph McGinty, from Achill Island, Co Mayo passed away on September 13 2021. He had received the Pfizer covid vaccine on August 20 2021.
Ms Kilroy told the inquest:
“They are very much in the dark at the moment as to where things stand and we are in excess of a year down the line from the death, it seems quite a sad situation that they are in the dark at this stage”
The inquest at Castlebar Courthouse in Co Mayo was opened and adjourned earlier this week.
Joseph McGinty was hospitalised on September 1 and stayed overnight at Mayo University Hospital (MUH) before he was discharged the following day. He attended hospital again on September 8 for review.
There is a review underway at MUH that the family wish to see once finalised, Ms Kilroy said.
The teen suffered either a reaction or significant medical change following the administration of the vaccine, the inquest heard.
A request for safety information from covid 19 vaccine manufacturer Pfizer is to form part of the ‘considerable investigation’ to be conducted into the boy’s death.
“Also there are issues arising in circumstances where we would ask the coroner to make a request for vaccine safety information and GP records and procedures and guidelines that related to treatment of Mr McGinty in Mayo University Hospital in the days prior to his death,” Ms Kilroy said.
The death was described by Mayo Coroner Pat O’Connor as an issue is of ‘significant public concern’.
“At this stage there is no causal connection between the administration of the vaccine and Mr McGinty’s death, that’s a matter that will be determined by evidence from those who give evidence before me at the inquest but it seems to me there is a matter of significant public concern to warrant an investigation and the opening of an inquest,” Coroner Pat O’Connor said.
“The circumstances of Joseph McGinty’s death is that covid vaccination was administered to him. That there appears to have been either a reaction or a significant change in his medical circumstances following the administration of the vaccine and that subsequently unfortunately, Master McGinty died,” Coroner Pat O’Connor said.
Patricia McGinty formally identified her son’s remains on the day of his death but ‘has very little recollection of the morning in question’ barrister for the family Ms Kilroy said.
The inquest requires ‘considerable investigation into the vaccine, the effects of the vaccine and also the effects of the vaccine on Master McGinty,’ the Coroner said.
As a result, the case could take ‘months or possibly years’ to conclude its findings,’ Mr O’Connor said.
Ms Kilroy made an application on behalf of the family for legal aid and asked that the medical cause of death not be presented in court until after reviews of medical reports have taken place.
Coroner Pat O’Connor clarified that legal aid in such circumstances is significantly different from legal aid as it is administered in the district or higher courts.
“The application is made to the Coroner who then must decide whether the criteria is complied with. It is not the Coroner that grants legal aid, but the Legal Aid Board.”
The Coroner clarified the criteria under which the application for legal aid was made under the Coroner’s Act section 60 subsection 5 paragraph (h), given what he described as the ‘unusual circumstances’ pertaining to the McGinty case.
“Part (h) applies when the Coroner is of the opinion that the death of the deceased occurred in circumstances the continuance or possible recurrence of which will be prejudicial to the health or safety of the public, or any section of the public such that there is a significant public interest in the family member of the deceased person being granted legal aid or legal advice, or both, for the purposes of the inquest concerned,” Mr O’Connor said.
Ms Kilroy applied to adjourn all other matters of the inquest, including the findings in relation to the cause of death, pending the outcome of the legal aid application.
Consultant Pathologist at Mayo University Hospital Dr Fadel Bannani met the family after the hearing to discuss preliminary findings of the autopsy with them.
The coroner granted certification for the request for legal aid and adjourned the inquest for further mention at Swinford Courthouse, Co Mayo on December 20.
*This is a follow up piece that includes additional information from the opening of the inquest on November 21 as some readers had questions about the legal aid process. It is scheduled to be published on Gript.ie
*The inquest was published in the and Irish Independent and the Mirror
The best reason to avoid the jab is that it is medically valueless. If I, as a non-medically qualified person, can figure this out anyone can.
Far more sinister are the medics who push this stuff when they must realise what I found out. Even worse are those who continue to promote it after seeing the devastating effects it has on some of their patients.
And if they can't make a direct connection, surely the precautionary principle would dictate suspending the jabs - especially given that they are useless anyway!
Hi Louise
given your work on this and other cases do you think that the widespread publication of reporting on issues such as this is difficult? More difficult that it should be?