Father to be released for son’s funeral

THE father of a two-year-old boy killed in a house fire in Cork over the weekend is expected to be given temporary release from prison to attend his son’s funeral.

Stacey Ellard, 26, and her two children Calvin, 4, and Cian, 2, were found by firefighters, lying in bed in Ms Ellard’s room, in the upstairs of the smoke-filled house in Wilton in the early hours of Sunday morning.

While Stacey and Calvin were saved by the swift actions of the emergency services, Cian died in Cork University Hospital a short time later.

Stacey and Calvin both remained in a serious condition last night after suffering smoke inhalation, although they were understood to be showing signs of improvement.

Sources confirmed the child’s father Ricky Punch was due to be granted temporary release to allow him to grieve. Mr Punch is serving a sentence in Cork Prison following his conviction in 2009 for a drugs offence. News of the death was broken to him in the prison on Sunday.

While gardaí are still investigating the circumstances of the blaze, it is believed it is linked to an electrical fault or to a cooker. Gardaí are not looking for anyone else in relation to the incident.

Yesterday people visited the Church of the Way of the Cross in Togher to light candles and pray for the three victims of the fire. They were also prayed for at Masses across the area throughout yesterday.