Tegan McGhee, the stepmother convicted of the murder of four-year-old Mason O’Connell Conway, can now be named publicly after a judge removed the anonymity order protecting her identity. The 32-year-old, currently homeless, was sentenced to life imprisonment by Mr Justice Paul McDermott for the brutal killing that occurred in Rathbane, Limerick city, Ireland, in March 2021.
Mason’s father, John Paul O’Connell, 36, previously received a seven-year sentence after pleading guilty to charges of endangerment, neglect, and obstructing justice, knowing of McGhee’s role in the child’s death.
The boy was found gravely injured at the family home and died three days later in hospital. Extensive medical examinations revealed multiple bruises in varying stages of healing, indicating ongoing abuse. Despite the father’s claims that Mason was accident-prone, the court learned that the child endured weeks of physical cruelty.
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Witnesses testified that Mason had been confined to his room for days and was subjected to severe violence the day of his death, including being violently shaken and slammed onto the floor by McGhee. A fatal injury to his head and a lacerated liver from blunt force trauma were found, either of which could have independently caused his death.
McGhee described Mason as a “bold cheeky child” prone to misbehaviour, often grounding him by restricting his movements to sitting on the floor of his room. She admitted to police that she “snapped” and violently shook him on the fatal day.
Mason’s mother, Elizabeth Conway, shared poignant memories of her son as a loving, joyful child who lovingly cared for his siblings. She recounted the unbearable grief of receiving the news his life support had to be withdrawn, after which she personally arranged his funeral. Elizabeth described the devastation caused by someone her son trusted—calling it “pure evil” that stole her child’s life.
Mr Justice McDermott expressed his deepest condolences to Mason’s mother and extended family, underscoring the heartbreaking betrayal inflicted on a child who had trusted the very person responsible for his care.