Mother and daughter found dead in house

The bodies of a young mother and her seven-year-old daughter have been discovered in a house in Co Donegal, gardaí said today.

The 26-year-old woman and the child were found in the property at Whitethorn Close, Letterkenny, shortly after 3pm.

Officers were called to the scene after the pair had not been seen over the past few days.

“At this stage of the investigation there are no signs of any foul play,” said a garda spokesman.

“The house has been sealed off for technical examination and the Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Michael Curtis, is en route to the scene.”

It is understood suspicions were aroused when the young girl was not picked up for school by bus on the last two mornings.

She was a pupil at the local all girls school Scoil Mhuire Gan Smal.

It is believed the mother was originally from Bundoran in the south of the county.

Local councillors expressed their shock at the discovery and passed on their sympathy to the family.

Fine Gael’s Jimmy Harte said the news shocked the community.

“I am the local councillor for the area and there are a lot of young families here. The area is about 10 to 15-years-old and close to the town centre,” Mr Harte said.

“This is a tragedy which will affect a lot of families this evening. It is very tragic for any area.”

Sinn Féin’s Tony McDaid, who lives close to the area, said: “I would like to pass on my sympathies to the relatives and friends of the deceased.”

Whitethorn is a quiet private estate of around 80 houses on the outskirts of the town.