File:Field Near Coldblow - geograph.org.uk - 931415.jpg — Credit: Ian Paterson · CC BY-SA 2.0
Early life
Anastasia "Ana" Kriégel was born on 18 February 2004 in Novokuznetsk, Russia, and placed in an orphanage. In 2006 she was adopted by Geraldine Kriégel and her French-born husband Patric Kriégel and came to live in Ireland, where her parents encouraged her to keep her original given name and ties to Russian culture. She was described as a happy child through most of primary school despite health issues, including a tumour removed from her right ear that left her nearly deaf on that side, and sight problems. She struggled to make friends at secondary school, was suspended after painting a black eye onto herself — which her mother later said may have reflected inner pain — and experienced bullying, including messages of a sexual nature and comments about her height and adoption; she also created fake social media accounts to bully herself. She self-harmed on one occasion in 2017.
Disappearance
On 14 May 2018, Ana attended a counselling session, went home from school, changed out of her uniform, and walked to Leixlip town centre before returning home. A boy later referred to in reporting as Boy B called to the Kriégel home at 5:00 p.m., which her mother recalled as unusual because "nobody calls for Ana." Ana was last seen at 5:30 p.m. in St Catherine's Park.
Discovery and investigation
Ana's body was found on Thursday, 17 May 2018, in Glenwood House, a derelict 19th-century farmhouse in Coldblow, west of Lucan, where her clothes were found scattered. Her death was caused by blunt force injuries; bloodied pieces of wood were found at the scene, along with signs of sexual assault and blue Tescon building tape around her neck. Two 13-year-old boys, referred to in reporting as Boy A and Boy B under a lifelong court-ordered anonymity, came under suspicion. Both were charged with murder — the youngest people in the history of Ireland to face that charge — and Boy A was additionally charged with aggravated sexual assault. Their trial opened at the Central Criminal Court on 29 April 2019.
Verdict and sentencing
On 18 June 2019, after the jury deliberated for more than fourteen hours, Boy A and Boy B were found guilty of Ana's murder. Sentencing, initially adjourned to 15 July 2019, was pushed back again for psychological assessments and ultimately took place on 5 November 2019. Boy A was sentenced to life imprisonment for murder, with review after twelve years, and a concurrent twelve years for aggravated sexual assault. Boy B was sentenced to fifteen years for murder, with review after eight years. Outside court, Ana's father, Patric, said "forever is not long enough." Both boys are to be offered new identities after release; posts identifying them later appeared on social media in violation of the anonymity order and were removed under a court injunction.
Aftermath
The boys were held at the Oberstown Detention Centre in North Dublin until 2022, when they were transferred to an adult prison upon turning 18; in May 2020, Boy A, then aged 15, was assaulted by fellow inmates and suffered minor injuries. Ana's funeral was held on 31 May 2018 at Newlands Cross Crematorium in Dublin, where mourners were asked to wear "sparkle and colour" in her memory and donations were directed to the Russian Irish Adoption Group. Her family later established a charity in her honour, Ana's Network of Adolescents (ANA), with the Russian Irish Adoption Group. Patric Kriégel died on 19 June 2022, four years after his daughter's murder.
Anastasia "Ana" Kriégel is born in Novokuznetsk, Russia, and is later placed in an orphanage.
2006
Ana is adopted by Geraldine Kriégel and her French-born husband Patric Kriégel and comes to live in Ireland.
2017
Ana self-harms on one occasion amid ongoing bullying.
2018-05-14
Ana attends a counselling session and is last seen at 5:30 p.m. in St Catherine's Park; this is later recorded as her date of death.
2018-05-17
Ana's body is found in Glenwood House, a derelict farmhouse in the townland of Coldblow west of Lucan; two 13-year-old boys, referred to as Boy A and Boy B, come under suspicion.
2018-05-31
Ana's funeral is held at Newlands Cross Crematorium in Dublin.
2019-04-29
The trial of Boy A and Boy B opens at the Central Criminal Court.
2019-06-18
Boy A and Boy B are found guilty of Ana's murder after a jury deliberates for more than fourteen hours; Boy A is also convicted of aggravated sexual assault.
2019-11-05
Boy A is sentenced to life imprisonment for murder (review after twelve years) and a concurrent twelve years for aggravated sexual assault; Boy B is sentenced to fifteen years for murder, with review after eight years.
2020-05
Boy A, then aged 15 and held at Oberstown Children Detention Campus, is assaulted by fellow inmates and suffers minor injuries.
2022
Boy A and Boy B, held at Oberstown Detention Centre, are transferred to an adult prison upon turning 18.
2022-06-19
Ana's father, Patric Kriégel, dies, four years after his daughter's murder.
Best coverage
Titles and descriptions are the creators’ own and may not reflect current legal status; see the dossier above for sourced case facts.
VIDEO
Eleanor Neale / 40 min
THE BODY IN THE ABANDONED HOUSE (Ana Kriégel)
People
Ana Kriégel
VICTIM
14-year-old Russian-Irish girl who went missing on 14 May 2018 near Lucan, Ireland, and was found dead three days later; her death was caused by blunt force injuries, and there were also signs of sexual assault.
Boy B
CONVICTED
One of two 13-year-old boys who came under suspicion after Ana Kriégel's death; granted lifelong anonymity. Convicted of her murder on 18 June 2019; sentenced on 5 November 2019 to fifteen years' imprisonment, with review after eight years.
Boy A
CONVICTED
One of two 13-year-old boys who came under suspicion after Ana Kriégel's death; granted lifelong anonymity. Convicted of her murder on 18 June 2019 and additionally convicted of aggravated sexual assault; sentenced on 5 November 2019 to life imprisonment for murder, with review after twelve years, and a concurrent twelve years for aggravated sexual assault.
Roles reflect public records and court outcomes at the time of writing — supporting citations are on file under Sources.
Archival records
archival location
File:Field Near Coldblow - geograph.org.uk - 931415.jpg
Ana Kriégel, a 14-year-old Russian-Irish girl, went missing on 14 May 2018 after being last seen in St Catherine's Park near Lucan, Ireland, and was found dead three days later in a derelict farmhouse nearby, having sustained blunt force injuries and signs of sexual assault. Two 13-year-old boys, granted lifelong anonymity as Boy A and Boy B, were convicted of her murder in June 2019 — the youngest people ever charged with murder in the history of Ireland.
Where did the murder happen?
Lucan, County Dublin, Ireland.
Who was convicted?
Boy B (One of two 13-year-old boys who came under suspicion after Ana Kriégel's death; granted lifelong anonymity. Convicted of her murder on 18 June 2019; sentenced on 5 November 2019 to fifteen years' imprisonment, with review after eight years.) and Boy A (One of two 13-year-old boys who came under suspicion after Ana Kriégel's death; granted lifelong anonymity. Convicted of her murder on 18 June 2019 and additionally convicted of aggravated sexual assault; sentenced on 5 November 2019 to life imprisonment for murder, with review after twelve years, and a concurrent twelve years for aggravated sexual assault.).
