Man who dragged grandmother to her death was without his medication, court hears

Olivia Kelleher

A man who dragged his 82-year-old grandmother down the stairs leading to her death during a period when he was without a vital injection for his paranoid schizophrenia received a medical appointment for the treatment two days after her passing, a court has heard.

Bryan Nnadi Ogbo previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of his grandmother Stella Ejiatu Nnadi.

Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that the 39-year-old was living with his mother Ruby and his grandmother Stella at Garrydhu Drive, Kilmoney Road in Carrigaline, Co Cork in February 2025 when the incident occurred.

Defence SC, Jane Hyland, said that the death of Stella Nnadi arose following a very tragic set of circumstances. She told Judge Sinead Behan that her client had always enjoyed a close relationship with his grandmother, whom he minded at various times in his life.

He has been “devastated” by her death. Ogbo was unable to attend her funeral and his grief is complicated by his role in her death.

Hyland said that the mental state of the accused was so impaired at the time of the offence that he was “unable to refrain from committing the act.”

She also indicated that her client satisfied the criteria for being found not guilty by reason of insanity if he had chosen to contest the case.

Poignantly, Hyland said that Ogbo received an appointment in relation to his vital depot anti psychotic injection 48 hours after his grandmother died on February 25th, 2025.

Hyland told the court that her client moved to Ireland from Nigeria in December 2024 to be with his mother and grandmother.

His mother Ruby, who is a social worker, did everything in her power to obtain anti psychotic injection medication for her son. She became increasingly concerned as his mental health deteriorated and was engaging with the mental health system in this country.

Hyland said that tragically, his condition had deteriorated to the point that he “dragged his grandmother down the stairs.”

“That action combined with her age and her leukaemia was sufficient to kill her.”

Meanwhile, the evidence of Det Garda Tom Delaney was that a dispute broke out in the house at Garrydhu Drive on February 23rd, 2025.

“Bryan Ogbo had been pacing around the house during the night and had shouted at his mother, Ruby to leave him alone. Ruby discovered the accused had eaten all the food and had destroyed the kitchen.

"Brian Ogbo told her that there were people looking for money off him. He followed her around the house, asking her where she got the money. She told him she worked hard for it. She threatened to take his phone off him and remove the WiFi in the house," Det Garda Delaney said.

Det Garda Delaney added that Ruby took the WiFi box out of the house, and said that as she tried to walk out of the house, he pulled her back.

"She exited the house and was followed by the accused, who had blue handled scissors in his hand. He threatened to cut the wires in the house before putting the scissors on the ground. Bryan Ogbo pushed Ruby to the ground in the kitchen and punched her into the head while she was on the ground.”

Det Garda Delaney said that the accused then went upstairs looking for his grandmother Stella, who was in the bathroom.

“He shouted at her to open the door. The deceased shouted, 'Oh my God. Oh my God.’ Ruby fled the house to get help. Ruby told her neighbour that her son was going to kill her mother and that he had a knife.

"Bryan Ogbo broke down the bathroom door and dragged his grandmother, Stella. He dragged her by the arm down the stairs first and pushed her out the front door. Stella managed to make her way of the house and into the neighbour's house and joined her daughter Ruby.”

Ruby called 999 three times. She told one call taker that her son was coming after her and that he was agitated and destroying things in the house. She told another that her son had schizophrenia. In her third call, she said that her son had injured her and her mother.

Ruby indicated that her son had scissors and a knife, and that he “threatened that he is going to kill me and kill his sisters as well and my mum.” She stated that he had had a “serious mental breakdown.”

Gardaí rushed to the scene. Ogbo was arrested under the Mental Health Act and taken to Cork University Hospital (CUH). He was examined, discharged and given a letter to attend the hospital on a voluntary basis.

Stella Nnadi didn’t appear to require hospitalisation at the time of the attack. However, her condition deteriorated and she was taken by ambulance to CUH on February 25th. She died onsite later that afternoon.

Ogbo subsequently told gardaí that there had been a dispute over internet access at the house. He said that he only picked up the knife as he wanted to “scare people away”

He said that her could recall his grandmother going “face down, first, down the stairs.”

He said his grandmother had been in the toilet and that he had broken the door and “dragged her out” before “dragging her down the stairs.”

A postmortem examination revealed that the pensioner died of blunt force trauma to her head as a result of being forced down the stairs.

Family members of Ogbo furnished a series of character references. Hyland said that his mother Ruby was very concerned about the welfare of her son in prison.

She has expressed a willingness to support her son with his medical care and with any bail conditions set down by the court.

The court heard that Ogbo hails from a family of professionals. A sister, who is a doctor, said that she was completing her medical training in 2017 when she noticed a deterioration in her “kind, supportive and very intelligent” brother. He told her he was hearing voices and she urged her parents to bring him to hospital.

Her brother, she said, was stigmatised in Nigeria following his diagnosis of schizophrenia. There was a lot of turmoil in the family and the relationship of his parents had broken down. She said that the accused man was of good character and a loving disposition.

“He has never been in trouble. What has occurred is tragic. He is a good man who would never intentionally harm anyone.”

A reference from a second sister was also handed over to Judge Sinead Behan. She said Ogbo was a “kind, protective and caring” sibling.

Judge Behan noted the need for ongoing psychiatric care for Ogbo.

"The crux is that prison isn’t a suitable environment (for Ogbo). What are my options? What are the treatment plans? He needs a structure.”

Hyland said that she had canvassed the family in relation to the matter.

“The best I can say is that the family want to have him live with them and get treatment in Ravenscourt (Day Centre in St Finbarr’s Hospital in Cork).”

Judge Behan adjourned the case to obtain a treatment plan from the hospital. An updated probation and psychiatric report will also be completed.

Ogbo was further remanded in custody until his next court appearance on March 4th next.