Gardaí desperately tried to revive boy, 6, after his body was found in car in Waterford
The six-year-old boy was found in a car near Dunmore East shortly after midnight. Picture: RollingNews.ie
Gardaí desperately tried to revive a six-year-old boy whose body was found in the back of a car near a rural beach in Co Waterford just after midnight.
A murder investigation is expected to be formally announced once the results of an autopsy on the child are known.
A woman was arrested at the scene and has been referred to psychiatric services for stabilisation and assessment.
Responding to an alert, gardaí came across a woman in nightclothes on a local road in the Rathmoylan area at around 12.30am.
Rathmoylan Cove Beach, which is off the Waterford Coast Road, is about three kilometres from the popular seaside village of Dunmore East.
The woman was in a very distressed state and informed gardaí about the boy in the car.
Gardaí ran to the vehicle as they called for an ambulance and found the child at the back of the vehicle. They made desperate attempts to revive the boy and conducted CPR, but to no avail.
Paramedics took over on arrival, before transporting the child to Waterford Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
It is understood there were no obvious physical injuries to the child and gardaí are awaiting the results of an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
The child lives with his mother in Waterford City, some 15km away, while the boy’s father is understood to be living in Cork.
The suspect's family are known in the city and county and are highly regarded in their profession and among friends.
A woman, aged 38, was arrested and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
This allows for detention of up to 24 hours. The detention was paused because of concerns about the woman’s health and welfare.
She was referred for stabilisation and assessment to local psychiatric services, where she remains.
Hospital staff caring for her will try and stabilise the woman and determine at what stage she will be fit enough to be interviewed by detectives.
It is unknown how soon that might be as it could take some days.
A garda post will remain at the hospital until then.
Enquiries in the case are ongoing, gardaí have said.
Earlier, local councillor Jim Griffin said there is a shadow of darkness over Rathmoylan this morning.
Speaking on WLR FM's Déise Today, Mr Griffin said that he attended the scene down by the cove where he saw emergency service vehicles.
He paid tribute to the emergency services who attended the scene of the tragedy.
Mr Griffin said that the details surrounding the incident are "sketchy" at the moment and people are being urged not to speculate.
Local man Frank O’Neill said people in the quiet and isolated seaside area were “startled and upset”.
“It’s a sad occasion. It’s heartbreaking to listen to,” he added.
Local Simone Baroid said “I am so distressed since hearing the news, I think everyone is. It’s so hard to take in I don’t think anyone can fathom it all, its distressing it’s a huge thing for a child to die and the whole country will feel it now just this town.
"I’m just going to light a candle and pray for them all”.
Meanwhile, local Sinn Fein Councillor Pat Fitzgerald said he knows the child’s extended family “very well”.
“We are lost for words”, he told the .
“It’s a deeply tragic event and while we don’t know all the details or the circumstances I can say that the community is in deep shock and disbelief.
“We have very much a tight community here but Waterford has unfortunately seen its fair share of tragedies.
“There is just profound shock and sadness, my thoughts are with the child’s extended family. He has a very big family in Waterford and I know many of them and my heart goes out to them”.
A prayer vigil will be held at the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity on Barronstrand Street in Waterford on Saturday evening at 7pm.
Bishop of Waterford and Lismore Alphonsus Cullinan said the vigil will "offer prayers for the grieving family and the wider community affected by this heartbreaking loss."
Bishop Cullinan said: "The loss of a young life is a profound tragedy that deeply affects us all. As a community, it is important for us to come together in prayer and reflection to offer comfort and strength to the family and friends of the young boy who has left us too soon."
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