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Dublin Live
Dublin Live
National
Roisin Cullen

Dublin mam's horror as autistic non-verbal child runs towards traffic from nightmare flat

A Dublin mam is at her wit's end due to her autistic son's nightmare living situation.

Tanya's son is non-verbal and a flight risk, and has already climbed onto the roof of their flat before.

And yesterday, the child yet again sprinted from the building and onto the busy street below.

Read more: Dublin mam at 'wit's end' with home under siege by giant rats and drug dealing in front of kids

Residents of the block ran frantically through the streets as strangers joined in on the search for little Ryan, which was witnessed by Dublin Live.

Thankfully, a passer-by had caught the child before he went out into busy traffic.

However, Tanya fears that her worst nightmare might happen next time as their current living situation is not fit for Ryan's needs.

Rats, rubbish, mould, and respiratory health issues are just some of the problems that have been tormenting Tanya and other residents of Castle Court Apartments.

Rubbish left around the block (Tanya Brady)

Tanya told Dublin Live that she has not been able to sleep properly as their upper storey flat is simply not suitable for a child that is a flight risk.

She said: "I'm here nearly three and a half years, on the fourth floor with an autistic child. There's been so many incidents since we moved in.

Read more: Mother of boy with autism fears every parent's worst nightmare could happen at planned new site for school

"He climbed out my window in the sitting room and up onto the roof. The fire brigade had to be called. That was the most horrendous phone call of my life. I thought that my child had fallen. One of my neighbours had to climb out my window and get him.

"He can open the window restrictors. He's gotten out the main door several times because people were leaving the door open.

Ryan was able to lift the window restrictor and climb out onto the roof (Róisín Cullen)

"My biggest fear is that he's going to climb out my window or out the door and he's going to get the smack of a car or a bus. My child could be dead."

Tanya's neighbour Joanne said she cannot get the memory of that horrible day out of her head.

She said: "All I could see was his tablet. I didn't know he was on the roof at this stage. I was standing at the door and all I could see was a tablet falling from the roof. He threw his tablet off the roof. Then six people ran up the stairs. I opened the door for the fire brigade. He would have just jumped and he would have fallen to his death.

Joanne and Tanya feel the apartment block is causing health difficulties (Róisín Cullen)

Ryan went missing within a matter of minutes yesterday afternoon and shot out the front door of the Peter McVerry Trust's building.

Shortly after a kind stranger saved him from the ongoing traffic. His poor mother was left in a complete state of shock after sprinting through the streets of Dublin looking for her little boy.

She said: "My son got out the main door. He ran down the street. Some lady caught him. My nerves are just gone. What if he had just run under a bus? It wouldn't be the driver's fault."

The smashed buzzers at the entrance of the nightmare flats (Róisín Cullen)

"I know that can happen anywhere but this busy area is not suitable for an autistic child. He needs a residential area with a garden. His sensory issues are just getting more complex. There's nowhere for him to run. There are times where neighbours complain because he's jumping up and down on his bed.

"There is also the rubbish in the building. He's severely asthmatic as well. I've no air vents in the apartment. He's constantly spluttering and choking.

"He's been hospitalised many times. He was in A&E Saturday and Sunday with severe chest problems. The doctors are saying that it's down to damp and mould. This building should be shut down. When I visit my mother, he doesn't have the same difficulties breathing.

A dead rat found in the backyard of the apartment block yesterday (Róisín Cullen)

"There are also the rats. They found a dead rat today. I don't sleep at night. I have to sleep right beside him because of the fear that he will climb out the window.

"If I had a lower ground property, I'd be able to sleep at night. It's making me so anxious and depressed. I've had enough."

Dublin Live have contacted the Peter McVerry Trust and An Garda Síochána for comment.

Read more: Local hero springs into action to help North Dublin woman with broken front door

Read more: North Dublin shop donates Christmas dinner to homeless people in the area

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