Irish police have launched a three-week search for the bodies of two babies reportedly murdered by their grandmother in the 1970s. The search is taking place at a house in a former Dublin Corporation estate, where specialist officers are digging up the back garden and demolishing an outbuilding.
A woman in her 50s has claimed she was repeatedly raped by a paedophile gang, including her father, at her home in south-west Dublin over several years. She alleges her mother smothered the babies within hours of their birth to cover up the abuse.
Gardaí sealed off the property on Thursday, and the search is expected to last three weeks. A garda spokesman said: 'The result of this search will determine the future direction of the investigation.' Officers are expected to speak to the woman's mother as part of the inquiry.
A source told the Irish Independent: 'This investigation has been ongoing for some time, as it's a historical case it takes longer than normal to corroborate details.' Forensic anthropologists and archaeologists have been brought in, along with heavy equipment and ground-penetrating radar to detect disturbed ground.
