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Stepmother Gets Life Sentence for Child's Murder
15 Jan
Summary
- Stepmother receives life sentence for murdering four-year-old Mason O'Connell Conway.
- Child's father jailed for seven years for endangerment and neglect.
- Mason suffered abuse for weeks before fatal head and liver injuries.
In Limerick, a stepmother, McGhee, received a life sentence for the murder of four-year-old Mason O'Connell Conway. The tragedy occurred on March 16, 2021, at a property McGhee was leasing with the boy's father. The father, John Paul O'Connell, was previously sentenced to seven years for endangerment and neglect, having admitted to obstructing justice while knowing his son had been killed.
Mason was found severely injured on March 13, 2021, and tragically died three days later. Initially, the father claimed Mason fell from his bed, but court proceedings revealed the boy had endured weeks of physical abuse. McGhee admitted to shaking Mason and hitting his head against the floor, also causing a fatal liver laceration.
Mason's mother, Elizabeth Conway, remembered her son as a "fine, healthy little boy" who brought immense joy and love. She recounted the heartbreaking decision to turn off his life support and described his death as the result of "pure evil" by someone he trusted.
