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Portugal mother 'sick not drunk' Parents had drinks spiked - claim
(about 11 hours later)
A councillor has defended the couple whose children were taken into care in Portugal after allegations they were drunk. A couple who allegedly passed out drunk while their children were taken into care in Portugal may have had their drinks spiked, a councillor claims.
SDLP Maghera Councillor Kate Lagan, who knows the parents, said Antoinette McGuckin was sick and that was why an ambulance was called to their hotel. Hotel staff in Vilamoura called police over concerns Eamon and Antoinette McGuckin's children, aged one, two and six, would not stop crying.
She also said the hotel manager offered to look after the children while Eamon McGuckin took his wife to hospital. The family are thought to be on their way home, the Foreign Office says.
She cannot understand why Portugese authorities took the action they did. A councillor who knows the couple from their County Londonderry home town insists Mrs McGuckin was merely unwell.
"Late last night I spoke to somebody close to the family and there's a very different picture emerging," she said. SDLP Magherafelt Councillor Kate Lagan said she believes something was added to their drinks in a bar which made them pass out.
"Even yesterday it was fairly obvious that there was something very strange about this, for example, how could you possibly go from escorting three children from a bar to being completely comatose in a hotel as suddenly as that. "Something happened to make Antoinette extremely and violently ill on arrival in the hotel, and Eamon fell asleep," she said.
"They went out to dinner at eight o'clock and they were back at 10." "I've spoken to relatives and they have said there is absolutely no way they were in a drunken stupor."
At the weekend, duty court officials said they saw no reason to press criminal charges, but a specialised court, which focuses on minors, has yet to examine the case. She said they called in to a bar on the way to the hotel after a day out and were back at the hotel by 2200 local time.
The couple are expected to appear before a judge at the Family and Minors Court in Faro at 1500 local time on Tuesday. "Whatever happened to a drink that they had in that bar, it knocked them totally for six," she said.
The family were staying at the Aparthotel Mourabel She said she could not understand why Portuguese authorities took the action they did against the couple, who are from Upperlands.
The McGuckins arrived in Portugal on Friday afternoon
"How could you possibly go from escorting three children from a bar to being completely comatose in a hotel as suddenly as that?" she said.
Eamon McGuckin, 34, and his 32-year-old wife were rushed to a health centre in nearby Loule after arriving at the Aparthotel Mourabel for a week-long holiday on Friday afternoon.Eamon McGuckin, 34, and his 32-year-old wife were rushed to a health centre in nearby Loule after arriving at the Aparthotel Mourabel for a week-long holiday on Friday afternoon.
The manager of the hotel said the couple and their three children went out for dinner nearby at about 2000 local time on Friday.The manager of the hotel said the couple and their three children went out for dinner nearby at about 2000 local time on Friday.
It is alleged that, upon their arrival back at the hotel about two hours later, Mr McGuckin passed out on a sofa in reception while Mrs McGuckin fell asleep in the bar.It is alleged that, upon their arrival back at the hotel about two hours later, Mr McGuckin passed out on a sofa in reception while Mrs McGuckin fell asleep in the bar.
A spokesman for the local police said they were contacted by hotel staff at 2200 local time because "the children were crying and they could not revive the parents, who were both out cold".A spokesman for the local police said they were contacted by hotel staff at 2200 local time because "the children were crying and they could not revive the parents, who were both out cold".
The parents were taken to hospital while social services dealt with the children, he added.The parents were taken to hospital while social services dealt with the children, he added.
Returned The children were later returned to their parents.
The children were taken to the Refugio Aboim Ascensao children's home in Faro early on Saturday morning but were later returned to their parents.
Dr Luis Villas-Boas said his children's home was called shortly after midnight on Friday and asked to provide emergency shelter for the three youngsters.
But although he described the incident as "very, very shocking", he said the three children showed no signs of neglect and would not suffer any lasting ill effects.
Police officers from Portugal's Guarda Nacional Republicana spent 45 minutes at the couple's hotel apartment on Monday evening.
British consular staff are helping the couple.