Parents broken by their sorrow
THE heartbroken parents of little Santina Cawley have told of their immense pain and suffering since their daughter was murdered by Karen Harrington.
Father Michael Cawley said his beloved Santina was “brutally murdered” and added “the worst thing was finding her disfigured body under a blanket”.
He added: “I will be haunted by this horror for the remainder of my life.
This is beyond words. I have no words. The trial is a difficult process.
“Having to listen to graphic details of what happened to Santina but a necessary one.”
Mr Cawley said Santina was a “beautiful, happy, friendly, caring, fun loving” girl.
He added: “She enjoyed life — always smiling, she loved life, everyone loved her. She brought joy to my heart.
“She was my pride and joy. I will always be so proud of her.”
In a victim impact statement delivered via a family liaison officer he said: “When I look at some of her clothes and toys in her bedroom it breaks my heart.
“I miss the sound of her sweet little voice, her laugh, her smile, her beautiful blue eyes and red hair.
“She loved music, playing with her dolls and her sisters and brothers.
“She loved being involved with everything [which] was happening around her, folding clothes and helping around the house.“
Mr Cawley said Santina’s birthday fell on May 6.
He added:“it breaks my heart to visit her grave. All I have now are heavenly birthdays and memories.
“These beautiful memories can never be taken from me.“
Mr Cawley described his life since the passing of Santina as “mental torture”. He said: “This is honestly the worst thing any parent can go through. I would not wish this on any family.”
Santina’s mother Bridget O’donoghue delivered a powerful victim impact statement also through a garda liaison officer.
She said: “She was a premature baby. She was small but she was a fighter. She was loved and adored by her family the minute we saw her.
“She was the baby of our family, loved cherished and spoiled by us all. Especially her nana. She loved her rhymes, her cartoons and Barney. She loved her trips to town with me and her Nana.
“She was very cute for her age. She was clever and bright. She knew all the names of the Teletubbies and was a happy soul.
“She was very soft and gentle yet was hardy, determined and a little fighter.”
Ms O’donoghue said the day Santina died she took part of her with her.
She added: “I am devastated. My heart is in pieces and the hurt continues every day. So many times I have wished I could turn the clock back, the disbelief that this could have happened haunts me to this day.”
Judge Michael Mcgrath sentenced Harrington to mandatory life imprisonment. He commended the jury for their diligence and exempted them from further jury service for life.
Senior Investigating Officer Det Inspector Danny Coholan thanked his colleagues saying obtaining justice for Santina was always the ultimate goal.
The detective said: “This was a particularly emotive case for the members that attended the scene and the investigation team, many having children of a similar age. Santina was always in our thoughts.”