A teenager who was violently assaulted by her mother at just five weeks old has launched a High Court action against the HSE.
The 13-year-old, who grew up in foster care and is soon to be adopted, is seeking damages after she sustained a brain injury in the attack, which left her with cerebral palsy, poor eyesight in one eye and a learning disability.
Born in 2001 to a mother with a heroin habit who was on a methadone programme, the child had to endure a detox programme before being released from hospital. It is claimed that despite the fact mother was deemed to be volatile due to her drug dependency, the baby was discharged into her care, only to be brought back to the hospital three days later having suffered a violent assault.
The girl claims her mother, who has since passed away, was not properly assessed before she was released into her care and that no case conference was convened or care plan put in place.
The HSE denies all claims and says the mother was visited at home within 24 hours of being discharged from the hospital.
