Cavan nanny returns home

Seamus Enright

In what has been a hectic 72-hours for the Lavey-native, Aisling Brady McCarthy is now back on Ireland after her deportation from the United States was fast-tracked.

Her return follows the decision taken last Monday by the district attorney for Middlesex in Massachusetts filed a nolle prosequi against the Cavan woman of murdering a baby girl in her care in Massachusetts in 2013.

Their decision came after the Office of the Medical Examiner conducted a review of the evidence in the case, the Medical Examiner said she was no longer convinced that the bleeding on the baby's brain could only have been caused by abusive head trauma, but could in fact have been an accidental injury or an undiagnosed natural disease.
As a result the District Attorney then said she could no longer meet the burden of proof required for murder and dropped the charges.
Marian Ryan, the district attorney for Middlesex in Massachusetts, said: “Based on an assessment of the present state of the evidence, including the amended ruling from the medical examiner who performed the autopsy, the Commonwealth cannot meet its burden of proof.”
It is understood that through Monday evening and into Tuesday morning, lawyers for the 37-year-old nanny were able to strike a deal with the various law enforcement agencies in the US to expedite the deportation process against her.
The Department of Foreign Affairs provide consular assistance to her and her family throughout.
Ms Brady McCarthy had been due to appear before a scheduled sitting of Woburn Superior Court, near Boston later today, but that was cancelled once the the charges against were dropped.
Ms Brady McCarthy, who has been in custody for the past two-and-a-half years, and under house arrest since May last after she was bailed, was also due to present herself at a probation office on Wednesday to have her GPS-monitored ankle bracelet removed. However she did not attend a scheduled appointment which her lawyers due to concerns about media attention, and instead that matter was dealth with at the offices of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency - known as ICE.
On Tuesday she was being detained by US ICE officers in Boston for a long-standing violation of a tourist visa from Ireland issued in 2002 after overstaying the period of the visa. She originally arrived to the US in over a decade ago on a six month tourist visa and never returned home.
Under the US-Ireland Visa Waiver programme, Ms Brady McCarthy is not entitled to appeal the deportation order before an immigration judge.
In a break from procedure, Ms Brady McCarthy is understood to have bought her own flight ticket home to Ireland on a flight leaving Boston.
Travelling with her sister, her Aer Lingus flight from Boston touched down at Shannon Airport at 6.12am.
The two were accompanied through the arrivals hall by a number of airport police officers, and Ms Brady McCarthy declined to make any comment to waiting media.
The sisters got into a waiting car and immediately departed the airport.
It's expected they have travelled to Coachford in Cork where Ms Brady-McCarthy's husband's family are from.
However, when she does return to Cavan, its expected she will receive a very warm welcome. Posters have already gone up in the local community welcoming Aisling home.
Parish Priest Fr Kevin Fay attached to St. Dympna's Church in Lavey told The Anglo-Celt: “The whole community has breathed a heavy sight of relief at the news. They've stood by Aisling and her family from the very first moment. It's great news, but long overdue. In many respects, it has come two years too late. Even still, we will welcome her home with open arms whenever that may be,” Fr Fay said.
He stated: “It is very clear mistakes have been made. Though for the most part, and this time, we're just happy to know that this dreadful ordeal for Aisling and the Brady and McCarthy families is nearing an end, and she might now freely return home.”