Criminal investigation underway after death of two children in Westmeath car fire
A memorial at St Cremin's National School, for Thelma Edgar and her brother Michael. Picture: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
The death of two young children in a car fire in Westmeath is now the subject of a criminal investigation.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said that the incident is being treated as suspicious, and Gardaí are regarding it as a criminal investigation.
In the tragic incident, which occurred in Multyfarnham, five-year-old Thelma was pronounced dead at the scene while her brother Michael, an infant, was rushed to the Regional Hospital Mullingar, and was later pronounced dead.
Their mother Lynn Egar was pulled from the fire and is currently receiving treatment for her injuries, which are not believed to be life-threatening.
A spokesperson said gardaí have commenced a criminal investigation into all of the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
Mr Harris has appealed for anyone with information to come forward.
"In particular we would ask the public for their support in helping us in the investigation, anybody who was moving in the Lacken, Multyfarnham area last Friday between about 2pm and 3.30pm to 3.40pm, if they took dash cam footage, if they saw anything suspicious, please report it to gardaí," he said.
In the quiet area of Westmeath where the tragedy occurred, locals are struggling to come to terms with the loss of two young lives.
Fr John O'Brien, a local priest, has said that many have been left with an "overwhelming feeling of sadness and disbelief."
Speaking on RTÉ , he said that parents were meeting locally to discuss how to explain the tragedy to their children.
The principal of St Cremin's national school, Karl Dermody, was in attendance at the vigil yesterday evening, alongside two teachers who carried photos of Michael and Thelma.
Five-year-old Thelma was a senior infant pupil at the school.
As pupils returned to classrooms there this morning, psychologists from the National Educational Psychological Service are present to support them.
Fr O'Brien said that while coming to terms with grief will be difficult for many parents, it will be "even more challenging for children to face this awful sense of grief and loss which could be devastating for them."
He said that the most important thing people can do now in the area is to talk to one another about how they are feeling.
"Talking is so important to the healing process, if there are tears let them flow," Fr O' Brien further said.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the two children passed away in the “most tragic of circumstances.”
Speaking in Mullingar, he said: “To their families, their classmates, their teachers I extend our deepest sympathies at this very, very traumatic time for the entire community.”
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