Skeletal Remains Found amid Search for Missing 3-Year-Old Boy, Believed to Have Vanished 4 Years Ago By Becca Longmire

Skeletal remains have been found amid the search for a missing young boy thought to have vanished several years ago, police have said.

On Wednesday, Sept. 17, the Gardaí (Irish police) confirmed that “human skeletal remains of a child” had been discovered, adding that officers “believe these to be the remains of Daniel Aruebose,” who hasn’t been seen for years, per a press release.

“An Garda Síochána is currently engaging with the local coroner in relation to the discovery of these remains. The remains will be subject of careful and sensitive exhumation from the current burial site,” the release noted.

“Formal identification of the remains will now have to be carried out including DNA analysis,” police added.

The release continued, “Daniel is known to have resided at The Gallery Apartments, Donabate, Co. Dublin. It has been a number of years since there has been any confirmed sighting of Daniel, who would now be 7 years of age.”

Daniel is thought to have been around 3 years old when he disappeared, according to Irish broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Eireann (RTÉ).

The update came after concerns for Daniel were raised by Ireland’s Child and Family Agency (Tusla) on Aug. 29 of this year, police said.

“Following enquiries carried out by and information available to investigating Gardaí to date, An Garda Síochána are satisfied that Daniel is deceased,” the release stated.

Police said they’d “carried out a technical examination of an apartment” on Aug. 31 at the block where Daniel was known to have resided, and officers were continuing to carry out house-to-house enquiries at the complex, per the release.

“An Garda Síochána appeals to any person who was resident in The Gallery Apartments complex, Donabate between July 2019 to present date to speak with the investigation team,” the release added, confirming that an area of open ground had been searched since Sept. 1, before the remains were found over two weeks later.

Tusla said it last had dealings with Daniel’s family five years ago, but didn’t go into detail about why no further checks appear to have been made since he was around 2 years old, according to the BBC.

“In this case, since 2020, no new referral or new information of concern was received about Daniel until August 2025. On foot of this we contacted an An Garda Siochana with our concerns for the safety and wellbeing of Daniel,” Tusla said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE.

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According to RTÉ, the case is understood to have been brought to Tusla’s attention after an application was made to the Department of Social Protection for a welfare payment. After checks were carried out, no record could be found of Daniel having attended school. The case then ended up being referred to the police.

Daniel was believed to have been fostered for the first 18 months of his life, before being returned to his biological family, the outlet noted.

Ireland’s Minister for Children, Norma Foley, has since asked Tusla to conduct well-being checks on any cases that may have been closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, per RTÉ.

Tusla said in a statement obtained by PEOPLE when asked about Daniel’s case, “The death of a young boy is an unimaginable tragedy, and we offer sincere condolences to those who knew and loved Daniel. We will continue to engage fully with An Garda Síochána as they continue their investigations and will provide support and care to those impacted.”

“Where there is a serious incident or death involving a child open to, or previously known to our service, we conduct a review of our engagement, and that review is sent to the National Review Panel. The review relating to Daniel will be given to Minister Norma Foley by the end of this month,” they added.

The agency confirmed it “is working closely with the Department of Children, Disability and Equality to determine the scope, process and required resources to conduct wellness checks on cases closed during COVID-19 period that Minister Foley directed.”

“The provisional number of children encompassed by this review is currently 42,552,” they confirmed.

Foley didn’t immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for comment. The Gardaí didn’t have any additional information to add at this time.