Gardaí investigate 'unexplained' deaths of mother and two children in Dublin

Gardaí got a call to the Llewellyn estate in Ballinteer where they discovered three fatalities, an adult female and two children aged 11 and six years of age

Gardai at the scene on the Llewellyn estate in Ballinteer, south Dublin, following the discovery of bodies of a woman and two young children. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

Gardaí are investigating the “unexplained” deaths of a woman and two children following the discovery of their bodies at a house in south Dublin on Wednesday morning.

The 37-year-old woman is believed to be the mother of a six-year-old boy and an 11-year-old girl found dead at the house in the Llewellyn estate in Ballinteer just before midday.

Gardaí forced their way into the house where they found the three bodies, after concerned neighbours had raised the alarm.

The house was sealed off for technical examination and the State Pathologist was due to attend the scene.

Superintendent Paul Reidy from Blackrock Garda Station said autopsy results would determine the course of the investigation.

“Gardaí got a call here this afternoon to the scene where we discovered three fatalities, an adult female and two children aged 11 and six years of age,” Supt Reidy said.

We’re treating the deaths as unexplained at the moment and the results of the postmortems which will be carried out will determine the course of our investigation.

In a press statement, gardaí also appealed to members of the public not to speculate about the deaths on social media. 

“Investigating gardaí are aware of comments circulating on some social media platforms. These comments are uninformed and unhelpful to the criminal investigation,” the statement said.

Fine Gael TD, Josepha Madigan, whose Dublin Rathdown constituency includes the estate, said the incident is a "horrific tragedy for this family and the whole community in Ballinteer".

"There is a huge amount of sadness and shock in the community," she said.

Members of the local community gathered for a candlelit vigil on Wednesday evening as news of the deaths sunk in.

Geri Ashe, the secretary of the local residents' association, said there was shock throughout the community: "We just felt the need to do something so we just decided that we would at least get together and try and support each other."