Kyran Durnin mystery as cops 'explore possibility' boy died long before he was reported missing

may have died months before he was officially reported , insiders have claimed, as the mystery of the now presumed dead eight-year-old deepens.

Kyran and his mum Dayla, 24, went missing from their home in County Louth, , on August 28, Rhonda Byrne Tyson, the youngster's grandmother has claimed, with their disappearance reported to Gardai two days later. Police have been unable to find a trace of the two since then, and announced today that they had upgraded the official investigation to a murder probe, with Kyran presumed dead.

An Garda Síochána said in a statement released this morning that the organisation was no longer seeking information that could help trace the whereabouts of the mum and son duo, and instead seeking leads in connection with their disappearance. Now, insiders have claimed that Dayla has been found alive in the UK, and that it is suspected Kyran may have died months earlier than his disappearance was officially noted.

Anonymous sources speaking to the have claimed that while Dayla has been found alive, Gardai have been unable to locate her missing son. They told the publication that one of the lines of enquiry currently being considered is that Kyran may have died "well before" he was reported missing.

The sources added that efforts may have been made to convince Irish authorities, including the Republic's child and family agency Tusla, that he was still alive. The insiders also claimed that sources believed the investigation was complex with "many strands", and that, while some individuals known to the eight-year-old have been co-operating with the investigations, others have not.

One said: “There are a lot of moving parts which will take time to work through." Suspicions that the boy are also said to have mounted over the last month, leaving detectives "all but certain" the child was killed, but a possible accidental death is also being considered. No arrests have been made, and police are yet to recover any remains in relation to the case.

An Garda Síochána did not comment on the claims when approached by the . The service said in its update announcing the investigation had been upgraded - a rare move for a case - that it is still seeking information in connection with the disappearance of Kyran, but made no mention of Dayla, tracing efforts for whom have been stood down.

The service said: "Gardaí are appealing to anyone who has any information in connection with the disappearance of Kyran to contact Drogheda Garda Station on 041 987 4200 , the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station. Any information, no matter how insignificant it may seem, will be welcomed by the investigation team. This information will be treated in the strictest confidence."