A homeless mother killed herself after her local council let her down in finding her a place to live with her two sons, according to her family and friends.
Danielle Carroll was found dead in a room she was living in as emergency accommodation in the Leixlip House Hotel in Kildare, Dublin, on Wednesday.
The 27 year old, mother of DJ, seven, and 20-month-old Carter, had been about to move into a place offered to her by South Dublin County Council.
Danielle Carroll (pictured) killed herself after her local council let her down in finding her a place to live with her two sons, according to her family and friends
Danielle’s mother Margaret said her daughter had been reluctant to move into the property, which was a last minute substitute after the council withdrew their initial offer for a place in the town of Tallaght.
She told the Herald: ‘It was a boarded-up house and Danielle knew the previous tenant in it had taken her own life in the house.
‘She was that desperate to have somewhere to live that she accepted it and was finally looking forward to moving in – only for her hopes to be dashed.
‘She felt it was a hopeless situation. She was struggling. She went off the rails with worry and she would say that nobody cared about her. We had to tell DJ last night. How do you tell a seven-year-old boy he’ll never see his mammy again?
Danielle Carroll was found dead in a room she was living in as emergency accommodation in the Leixlip House Hotel in Kildare, Dublin (pictured), on Wednesday
‘We’re finding it hard enough to deal with and we are adults.’
Margaret added that her daughter had been on the housing list with the county council since she became pregnant with her son DJ, who is now seven.
Danielle’s best friend, Linda Woods, said the tragic mother was ‘horrified’ at the substitute home offered to her by the council on an estate in Lucan village – and that she spoke of fearing for her life at the thought of moving there.
Linda told the Herald: ‘The back door was burned, where someone had set fire to it, and there had been people sleeping rough in it. She also said there was a lot of anti-social behaviour and she didn’t want to bring the boys up there.
‘She thought she would be going backwards. She said the council told her if they did not accept it, she would lose her emergency accommodation.
Danielle’s mother Margaret said her daughter had been reluctant to move into the property – a last minute substitute after the council withdrew their initial offer for a place in Tallaght
‘She pleaded with the council. She told them she’d end up dead, she told us too. She just couldn’t take it.’
There were 7,941 people homeless countrywide in the week of June 19 to 25 this year across the country – the highest figures ever recorded and a 27 per cent increase on the year before, according to Focus Ireland.
Many readers of Danielle’s story have taken to Facebook to slam councils about how they deal with homelessness.
Siobhan Rosemary said: ‘It is becoming a common occurrence of the councils threatening people to accept properties that are not suitable, no one should be refused homeless accommodation.
‘Treating people like this had to be stopped. Thoughts and prayers for the family.’
MailOnline has contacted South Dublin County Council for comment, who told the Irish news organisation it had been asked by Danielle’s family not to comment on the matter.
For confidential support call the Samaritans on 116123, visit a local Samaritans branch or see www.samaritans.org for details.