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	The mother of a little girl who vanished 37 years ago says her daughter has never been out of her mind.</p>
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	Mary Boyle&#39;s mother Ann Boyle said life has been hell since her six-year-old daughter went missing.</p>
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	A convicted sex offender in his 60s is being questioned by gardai over her disappearance in Co Donegal in March 1977.</p>
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	&quot;I&#39;m absolutely delighted that someone has been arrested, and my greatest wish now is that Mary is found,&quot; Mrs Boyle told Independent.ie</p>
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	&quot;I want to find out before I die what happened my little girl; that means absolutely everything to me.&quot;</p>
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	She added: &quot;This person has been arrested in connection with the case, but whether he admits to it is another thing entirely.</p>
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	&quot;The last 37 years have been hell on earth. That&#39;s how I&#39;d sum up what all the family have gone through.&quot;</p>
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	Mrs Boyle spoke out following the arrest of a man in his 60s today on suspicion of kidnapping.</p>
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	Read more here: The anguished wait for the Irish families of missing children</p>
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	It is understood the suspect in from Co Donegal and has several convictions for sexual abuse going back to the 1960s. He is believed to be currently serving a sentence for indecent assault.</p>
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	The youngster went missing from near her grandparents&rsquo; home in Cashelard, Ballyshannon, Co Donegal on 18 March 1977. She was six years old at the time.</p>
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	All searches in the meantime for the missing child have proved fruitless.</p>
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	Assistant Commissioner for the Garda&#39;s Northern Region Kieran Kenny, said they believe the breakthrough has brought them one step closer to recovering where she is located.</p>
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	As well as the investigation at the time, there have been two reviews by An Garda Siochana into Mary&#39;s disappearance.</p>
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	He told a media briefing this afternoon that the arrest is directly related to new evidence arising from the latest review carried out in 2011.</p>
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	&quot;We have used all the materials we gathered from the initial investigation that happened at the time of the disappearance,&quot; he said.</p>
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	&quot;There was also a review conducted in the early 2000s, and we have used the materials from that as part of our inquiries.&quot;</p>
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	Read more here: From the archives - Cold case report on missing Mary (6) due shortly</p>
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	The suspect was arrested at midday at a location in the Midlands. The man has been detained for up to 24 hours of questioning in Mullingar Station under the Criminal Justice Act 1984.</p>
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	The Assistant Commissioner said a review of the case has been ongoing in the Northern region for a number of years.</p>
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	A &quot;dedicated team&quot; of investigators, comprising between six and twelve officers, along with the expertise of forensic and geology experts, have been working on the case.</p>
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	It is the first arrest in connection with the case.</p>
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	A Family Liaison Office has continuously updated Mary&rsquo;s mother Ann Boyle on the developments in the case, including today&rsquo;s arrest.</p>
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	Read more here: From the archives - Search to resume for body of girl missing since 1977</p>
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	&quot;We are appealing for anyone with any information on the circumstances around Mary&#39;s disappearance to contact us,&rdquo; the assistant commissioner continued.</p>
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	&ldquo;Even something that people may have thought was insignificant at the time could help us advance the continuing investigation.&quot;</p>
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	Read more here: Two little girls - one was murdered by persons unknown, the other vanished without a trace</p>
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	Anyone with information is asked to contact the Incident Room at Ballyshannon Garda Station at 071 9858530 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.</p>
<p>
	<a href="http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/sex-offender-arrested-for-alleged-kidnapping-of-missing-girl-mary-boyle-6-37-years-ago-30681506.html">http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/sex-offender-arrested-for-alleged-kidnapping-of-missing-girl-mary-boyle-6-37-years-ago-30681506.html</a></p>
