Locals say bodies of father and daughter, 6, were discovered by family member 

Gardaí at the scene of the incident in the Cappagh area of Finglas. Picture: Sam Boal / Collins Photos

A playground often played in by the little girl who was discovered dead with her father in Dublin on Saturday night lay empty today as gardaí continued their probe into what happened in the family home.

Gardaí searched the surrounding area, looking through gardens, checking under cars and bushes, opening bins, as forensics teams gathered behind the police cordon.

Locals said they believe a family member had come home on Saturday evening and made the grim discovery.

The family was originally from Poland but had been living in Heathfield estate, near Cappagh hospital in Finglas, for some time, locals said.

The deceased child, a little girl, was six years old.

Gardaí and emergency services were called to the family’s home at approximately 8pm on Saturday night.

Although the investigation is still at an early stage, gardaí are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to the deaths.

There did not appear to be any signs of forced entry at the property.

The bodies were removed from the scene by ambulance on Sunday afternoon.

This was after an initial forensic examination was completed at the scene.

The local Coroner was notified and the services of the Office of the State Pathologist were requested.

A Garda spokesperson told the Irish Examiner that autopsy examinations "will be arranged in due course", and the results of these examinations will assist gardaí "in determining the course of the investigation".

"No additional information is available at this time," the spokesperson added.

The deceased child was regularly seen in the playground across from the family home.

Sinn Féin TD Dessie Ellis, who is from Finglas, said the community is in shock.

“Heathfield is facing Cappagh Hospital there. It's a relatively new estate and the vast majority of people in there are from Finglas.

“There's some social housing but they're mainly private dwellings.

“It's a lovely estate and people there can't get over what happened.” 

Although the estate no longer falls within his constituency following the most recent Electoral Commission’s boundary review, he still knows many families in the houses and continues to support the local community there.

“I was talking to some of the neighbours there. They were all shocked by it. It's totally unexpected.

“And it's pretty hard to understand how something like this can happen,” Mr Ellis said.

“People in the area would have known them. They were in the estate there a good while.

“We'll soon hear what actually happened. At the moment, it looks like it was localised, within the family.

“But no matter what happened, we have a young child dead and a father, and it's just so sad. It's an absolute tragedy.”

A man and a young child found dead in a house in Dublin are believed to have been a father and daughter.

Gardaí and emergency services were called to a residence in the Cappagh area of Finglas, Dublin shortly before 8pm on Saturday night.

The deceased child, a little girl, was six years old, it is understood.

Although the investigation is still at an early stage, gardaí are not currently looking for anyone else in relation to the deaths.

There did not appear to be any signs of forced entry at the property.

The location was preserved for a forensic examination by the Garda Technical Bureau.

The local Coroner has been notified and the services of the Office of the State Pathologist have been requested.

It has been reported that the bodies were removed from the scene at Heathfield estate after 12pm.