Ireland Case No. 4227Murder · Co. Dublin
Woman arrested over Daniel Aruebose murder also questioned in social welfare fraud probe
A woman in her 20s was arrested on 22 December 2025 on suspicion of murdering Daniel Aruebose, a child whose skeletal remains were found in Donabate, and was also questioned about suspected social welfare fraud. She was released without charge on 23 December 2025 with a file sent to the DPP, while a man believed to be known to Daniel was apprehended in Brazil for extradition to Ireland.
- Reported24 Dec
- Arrested22 Dec
7 reports - Chargednot reported
- In court24 Dec
- Verdict
- Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports87 statements extracted from the articles
- whatA woman in her 20s was arrested on suspicion of murder (irishtimes.com, irishmirror.ie)
- whatSkeletal remains were discovered on a site off Portrane Road in Donabate. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatDaniel Aruebose went missing at around age three. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatDaniel Aruebose was three years old when he was last seen over four years ago. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatA woman in her 20s was arrested on suspicion of murder on 22 December 2025. (dublinlive.ie)
- whatA woman in her 20s was arrested on suspicion of murder in connection with the death of Daniel Aruebose (irishtimes.com)
- whatA woman in her 20s was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Daniel Aruebose (dublinlive.ie)
- whatThe woman was released without charge pending a file to the DPP (dublinlive.ie)
- whatA woman in her 20s was arrested on suspicion of murdering Daniel Aruebose. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatOfficers believed he was secretly buried on land off Portrane Road in Donabate, Co. Dublin, in 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA man suspected to be linked to the death of Daniel Aruebose was arrested in Brazil pending deportation to Ireland. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA woman in her 20s was arrested on Monday on suspicion of murder in connection with Daniel's disappearance. (irishtimes.com)
- whatA man believed to have known Daniel Aruebose was arrested in Brazil and will be sent back to Ireland. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatA woman believed to have known Daniel was arrested on suspicion of his murder. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatThe woman was released without charge. (irishmirror.ie)
- whatDaniel went missing at around age three and officers believed he was secretly buried on land off Portrane Road in Donabate in 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe boy's remains were buried in open ground just outside Donabate, north Co Dublin (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe woman is detained at a Garda Station in the Dublin Region. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereHis skeletal remains were buried in a shallow grave on a marshy wasteland along Portrane Road in Donabate. (dublinlive.ie)
- whereDaniel Aruebose's skeletal remains were discovered from land in Donabate in September 2025 (dublinlive.ie)
- whereThe suspect was questioned at Swords Garda Station. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe skeletal remains were found on a site off Portrane Road. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe arrest was made by Brazil's federal police in Maranhão. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereThe woman was questioned by detectives at Swords Garda Station for nearly 24 hours. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereDaniel's remains were discovered in a wasteland in Donabate, north Dublin, in September. (irishmirror.ie)
- whereShe was detained at Swords Garda Station (dublinlive.ie)
- whereDaniel's skeletal remains were discovered on wasteland in Donabate, north Dublin (dublinlive.ie)
- whereThe arrest was executed by Brazil's federal police in Maranhão (dublinlive.ie)
- whereOfficers believed he was buried in a shallow grave on the wasteland off the Portrane Road in Donabate in 2021 (dublinlive.ie)
- whenGardaí believe the boy was killed in 2021 when aged 3½ years (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe remains were discovered in September 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenOfficers believed he was secretly buried on land off Portrane Road in Donabate in 2021. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenThe remains were discovered when the investigation commenced in August. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenGardaí believe the boy was killed in 2021 when aged 3 and a half years (irishtimes.com)
- whenShe was questioned throughout the night and released shortly before 7:10am on 23 December 2025. (irishmirror.ie)
- whenGardaí believe the boy was killed in 2021 when he was aged three. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe woman was arrested on 22 December 2025 (dublinlive.ie)
- whenThe woman was released without charge on 23 December 2025 (dublinlive.ie)
- whenDaniel was born in December 2017 (dublinlive.ie)
- whenDaniel went missing at around age three (dublinlive.ie)
- whenDaniel would have turned eight on 12 December 2025 (dublinlive.ie)
- causeTwo key witnesses told gardaí Daniel died from natural, though unexplained, causes (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe investigation was upgraded from a missing person inquiry to a suspected homicide case on 11 December (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe woman is the first person arrested in the homicide investigation (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe woman is detained under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at a Garda station in the Dublin region (irishtimes.com, dublinlive.ie)
- investigationOfficials checking a social welfare payment linked to Daniel could find no evidence of his whereabouts or that he was alive (irishtimes.com)
- investigationTusla escalated the matter to the Garda (irishtimes.com)
- investigationTwo key witnesses told gardaí Daniel had been dead for more than four years (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe witnesses' accounts have, at times, not aligned (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe investigation team is based at Swords Garda station, north Dublin (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe investigation was upgraded to homicide after DNA testing formally identified the remains. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe issue was flagged to Tusla, who raised it with Gardaí. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationThe discovery of the child's remains came after a 16-day search by gardaí on the lands. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationGardaí confirmed earlier in December 2025 that Daniel's death is being treated as homicide. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationInvestigations into the circumstances surrounding Daniel's death are ongoing. (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe woman was released without charge pending a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe woman was the first person arrested in the homicide investigation (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe discovery of the child's skeletal remains came after a 16-day search on the lands by gardaí (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe woman was arrested by detectives investigating the disappearance and murder of Daniel (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationInvestigations into the murder are ongoing (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe remains were formally identified via DNA testing. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí upgraded the investigation to homicide after the DNA identification. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationHis disappearance was discovered when Department of Social Protection officials made checks on a social welfare payment and could not determine his location. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationGardaí upgraded the investigation to homicide earlier in the month. (irishtimes.com)
- investigationThe investigation was upgraded to homicide after skeletal remains off Portrane Road were formally identified via DNA testing. (irishmirror.ie)
- investigationShe was questioned for up to 24 hours in connection with the murder (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe discovery followed an intensive three-week search (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe woman was additionally questioned about suspected social welfare fraud (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationA man believed to be known to Daniel was apprehended in Brazil (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationBrazilian authorities confirmed the individual will be deported to Ireland (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationHis disappearance was discovered when Department of Social Protection officials checked a social welfare payment (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe issue was flagged to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationTusla raised the matter with gardai (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationGardai upgraded the investigation to homicide after the remains were discovered (dublinlive.ie)
- investigationThe remains were formally identified as Daniel Aruebose via DNA testing (dublinlive.ie)
- courtThe man appeared in court briefly on Wednesday and was remanded in custody. (irishtimes.com)
- courtGardaí have not sought nor received any directions from the DPP to charge anybody in relation to the Daniel Aruebose homicide investigation. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe suspect and a close accomplice had been living a chaotic lifestyle that impacted care given to Daniel (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe witnesses claimed they panicked and secretly buried his body after their efforts to revive him failed (irishtimes.com)
- otherOne of the two key witnesses has been living abroad for some time (irishtimes.com)
- otherShe was released without charge pending a file to the DPP. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe woman was the first person arrested as part of the investigation. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe witnesses claimed they panicked after their efforts to revive him failed and secretly buried his body. (irishtimes.com)
- otherGardaí believe the individual is linked to the death of the young child. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherGardaí said the arrest in Brazil relates to immigration related matters only. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherThe arrested man in Brazil is an Irish citizen. (irishmirror.ie)
- otherDaniel was around three and a half years old when buried (dublinlive.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 26 Dec2025Woman arrested over little Daniel Aruebose murder also quizzed in fraud probe
Adds that the arrested woman was also questioned about social welfare fraud, was released without charge on 23 December 2025 with a file to the DPP, and that a man believed to be known to Daniel was apprehended in Brazil (Maranhão) for extradition to Ireland.
victim, Daniel Aruebose, 7, male, non-irish (judged from name)Daniel Aruebosesuspect, 20s, femalesuspect, male - 24 Dec2025Man 'known to Daniel Aruebose' arrested in Brazil and to be deported to Ireland
Reports the arrest of an Irish citizen in Brazil linked to the Daniel Aruebose homicide investigation, the questioning and release without charge of a woman at Swords Garda Station, and confirms no DPP directions to charge have been sought or received.
victim, Daniel Aruebose, male, non-irish (judged from name)Daniel Aruebosesuspect, male, Irish, irishsuspect, female - 24 Dec2025Man believed to be linked to Daniel Aruebose case is arrested in Brazil
Reports the arrest in Brazil of a man suspected to be linked to the Daniel Aruebose case, his brief court appearance and remand in custody in Brazil, and the release without charge of the first person arrested (a woman in her 20s) in the investigation.
victim, Daniel Aruebose, 3, male, non-irish (judged from name)Daniel Aruebosesuspect, male, Irish, irishsuspect, 20s, female - 23 Dec2025See moment woman accused of murdering little boy walks free after arrest
Reports the arrest and release without charge of a woman in her 20s, and provides background on how Daniel Aruebose's disappearance was discovered through a social welfare payment check and how the investigation was upgraded to homicide after DNA identification of the remains.
victim, Daniel Aruebose, 3, male, non-irish (judged from name)Daniel Aruebosesuspect, 20s, female - 23 Dec2025Woman arrested in connection with murder of Daniel Aruebose is released
First report of the arrest and subsequent release without charge of a woman in her 20s in connection with the murder of Daniel Aruebose.
victim, Daniel Aruebose, male, non-irish (judged from name)Daniel Aruebosesuspect, 20s, female - 23 Dec2025Woman arrested on suspicion of murder of toddler Daniel Aruebose released with file to go to DPP
Reports the release without charge of the first person arrested in the Daniel Aruebose murder investigation, with a file to go to the DPP. Provides background on how the case was discovered via social welfare checks in August 2025 and upgraded to a homicide inquiry on 11 December 2025.
victim, Daniel Aruebose, 3, male, non-irish (judged from name)Daniel Aruebosesuspect, 20s, female - 22 Dec2025Woman arrested on suspicion of murder of three-year-old Daniel Aruebose
Reports the arrest of a woman in her 20s on suspicion of murder, following the earlier discovery of Daniel Aruebose's skeletal remains and the reclassification of his death as homicide.
victim, Daniel Aruebose, 3, male, non-irish (judged from name)Daniel Aruebosesuspect, 20s, female - 22 Dec2025Woman arrested on suspicion of murder of Daniel Aruebose
First report of the arrest of a woman in her 20s on suspicion of murder; details the background of the case including the discovery of remains, DNA identification, and how the disappearance came to light via a social welfare payment check.
victim, Daniel Aruebose, 3, male, non-irish (judged from name)Daniel Aruebosesuspect, 20s, female - 22 Dec2025Woman arrested on suspicion of murder of toddler Daniel Aruebose
First arrest in the homicide investigation; details on how the case was discovered via a social welfare payment check, the September search operation, and witness accounts of the death and burial.
victim, Daniel Aruebose, 3, male, non-irish (judged from name)Daniel Aruebosesuspect, 20s, female