Children in care after suspicious death of mother

A NUMBER of children, including a one-year-old baby, were taken into care last night following the suspicious death of their mother.

Mother-of-six Colleen Mulder was found dead in her bed at her home in Co Meath yesterday morning.

An investigation was launched by gardaí after the discovery of what were described as suspicious marks on her body.

The 41-year-old is the mother of children aged from just 12 months to their late teens.

A number of the children still living at the family home were taken into care after the body of their mother was found in the house in Dunshauglin shortly before 11am.

A man was arrested around 1pm and taken to Navan Garda Station for questioning. He was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and can be held without charge for up to 12 hours.

Ms Mulder is originally from Bangor, Co Down, but has been living on the Maeldum estate on the outskirts in Dunshauglin for some years.

Gardaí arrived at the house around 11am after being alerted by a doctor, who had earlier been called to examine Ms Mulder.

They found her dead in the bedroom. A number of her children were in the house at the time.

The house was sealed off and a forensic team called. The house remained cordoned off last night.

Deputy State Pathologist Michael Curtis arrived at the semi-detached house yesterday afternoon and later carried out a post mortem at the City Morgue in Dublin. The results had not been revealed by late last night.

Before the body was driven away a number of children approached the hearse and touched the back window in tribute to the dead woman.

The investigation is being led by Chief Superintendent Michael Finnegan, who said a man was arrested at 1pm and will be released or charged this morning.