Sinead O’Connor pens heartbreaking tributes after her 17-year-old son is found dead
Sinead O'Connor's 17-year-old son Shane has been found dead in Ireland after the Irish singer-songwriter informed authorities that he had gone missing.
Police said the missing person case was closed after a body was found in the east coastal town of Bray, about 20 km south of Dublin.
The Nothing Compares 2U musician shared a sequence of brief statements on his unverified Twitter account, saying that his son "decided to end his worldly struggle" and urged others not to do so.
"My beautiful son, Nevim Nesta Ali Shane O'Connor, the light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God," she said.
"May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My child, I love you so much. Please rest in peace."
My beautiful son, Nevi’im Nesta Ali Shane O’Connor, the very light of my life, decided to end his earthly struggle today and is now with God. May he rest in peace and may no one follow his example. My baby. I love you so much. Please be at peace:
— Sinead The 1 And Only (@OhSineady) January 8, 2022
Irish authorities issued a missing person's statement for the first time on Thursday, asking for the public's help to trace Shane O'Connor's whereabouts. He was missing since January 6.
"Shane was last seen this morning at Tallaght, Dublin 24 area," a statement from Irish National Police Force Gardai said on Thursday.
After his son went missing, the Irish musician published a series of tweets desperately urging his son to hand himself over to the authorities.
When asked for comment, Gardai told CNN that due to data protection regulations, it would not be able to confirm the veracity of O'Connor's tweets nor the missing status of Shane O'Connor.
— Sinead The 1 And Only (@OhSineady) January 8, 2022
The Irish singer, who has been open about her mental struggles and suicidal thoughts in the past - paid tribute to her son on Twitter by dedicating Bob Marley's Ride Netty Ride.
"This is to my Shane. The light of my life. The lamp of my soul. My blue-eyed baby. You will always be my light. We will always be together. No boundaries can separate us," O'Connor said.
Shane was one of O'Connor's four children.
His father was Irish musician Donal Looney.
O'Connor first became famous for gracing the 1990 cover of the Prince song Nothing Compares 2 U.
She came out of an abusive family in Ireland and spoke openly about her struggles with mental illness.
