Man, 20s, charged over death of Bruna Fonseca in Cork City

Gardaí in Cork continue to investigate the death of 28-year-old Bruna Fonseca whose body was discovered in a residential property on Liberty Street, Cork City, this morning.

A man in his 20s has been charged following the suspicious death of 28 year old Brazilian national, Bruna Fonseca, who was pronounced dead at a flat in Liberty Street in the city yesterday morning.

He is due to appear before a special sitting of Cork District Court at 5pm today.

Ms Fonseca, who was from Formiga in Minais Gerais in Brazil was working as a contract cleaner at the Mercy University Hospital in Cork city. She was a qualified librarian and a graduate of the Centro Universitário de Formiga. It is understood she had been living in Ireland for less than a year.

The emergency services and gardaí attended at the scene at 6.30am. Ms Fonseca was found unresponsive and was subsequently pronounced dead at the scene. Gardaí had met a man known to Ms Formiga outside the flat and he had taken them to a bedroom in the flat over Picasso Hair Studio on 5 Liberty Street in the city centre.

CPR was carried out on Ms Fonseca but efforts to resuscitate her were to no avail and she was pronounced dead at the scene. The rented flat is within metres of the Washington Street courthouse and near to Cork city centre.

A man was subsequently arrested. He remains in garda custody at the Bridewell Station in Cork city. He is being held under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act and can be detained for up to twenty four hours from the time of his arrest.

A Garda on duty at the entrance to a residence on Liberty Street, Cork where the body of a woman in her 20s was discovered on New Year's Day. Picture: Dan Linehan

The body of Ms Fonseca was removed from the scene at lunchtime. Her body was taken to Cork University Hospital for a post mortem examination which was conducted by Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margot Bolster. The results have not been released for operational reasons.

The scene was sealed off for a full technical and forensic examination by the Garda Technical Bureau. Efforts will be made to track the last known movements of the deceased. Door to door inquiries will be carried out and CCTV footage from the area will be reviewed. The area is home to a number of businesses so gardaí will be able to access footage which could assist them in their investigation.

Meanwhile, locals and passers by expressed shock about the passing of the young woman. One elderly man said it was a "dreadful start to the New Year."

"What is the world coming to? The world has gone mad. That is so sad."

A middle aged man also stopped and said "God have mercy on her soul" when he realised that a young woman had died suspiciously in the area, A number of people also expressed disbelief at what had occurred as they made their way in to mass at nearby St Francis Church.

The investigation in to the death is being led by a Senior Investigating Officer (SIO) and a Garda Family Liaison Officer (FLO) has been appointed to liaise with the family of the deceased. Divisional Scenes of Crime officers are continuing to examine the crime scene which remains sealed off.

Anyone who can assist gardaí with their inquiries is asked to contact the Bridewell Garda Station in Cork on 021 4943330. Alternatively, contact the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any garda station.

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