Dublin, Ireland – A case that has haunted the community for years may finally have an answer. Irish police confirmed that skeletal remains of a young child were recovered after a series of searches in Donabate, Co. Dublin.
The child is believed to be Daniel Aruebose, who disappeared at the age of 3. Daniel would have been 7 years old today. Concerns about his welfare were first formally raised in August 2025 by Ireland’s Child and Family Agency after reports suggested that it had been years since anyone had physically seen the boy.
On August 31, investigators carried out a technical examination at The Gallery Apartments, where Daniel was known to have lived. The search then shifted to an open piece of ground nearby. On September 1, officers took control of the area and began carefully excavating it.
What they found was devastating: a small set of buried skeletal remains. Forensic experts immediately began DNA analysis to confirm the child’s identity. According to investigators, early test results strongly indicate that the remains are Daniel’s, but full confirmation will be released once comprehensive DNA profiling is complete.
Police are continuing to conduct door-to-door enquiries in the apartment complex and are working to piece together Daniel’s final days.
“This discovery is deeply tragic,” a Garda spokesperson said. “Our priority now is to confirm the identity of the remains and to establish the full circumstances of what happened to Daniel.”
The community is in shock, with neighbors leaving flowers and toys near the search site. Many say they hope this marks the beginning of justice and closure for a case that has left so many unanswered questions.