Gardaí investigating the suspicious death of a woman in Co Cork believe she may have been dead for up to 24 hours before being discovered on Friday evening.
The woman, named locally as Kelly Cremin (32), was found dead in what An Garda Síochána described as “unexplained circumstances” in her home in Innishmore Park, Ballincollig at about 5.30pm.
Neighbours made the discovery after becoming concerned about not having seen the mother of one since Thursday. They went to check on her and found the front door of the house was open and saw a body at the top of the stairs.
Gardaí were called to the scene and sealed off the house to preserve it for a technical examination.
The woman was pronounced dead by a local doctor and gardaí requested the services of the State Pathologist’s Office due to concerns that her death may have been the result of foul play.
“Nobody else was in the house at the time the woman’s body was discovered deceased at the scene,” An Garda Síochána said in a statement on Friday night.
The woman lived with her three-year-old son. When gardaí could find no trace of the child in the house, there were serious concerns for his welfare and officers began making inquiries. These soon indicated the boy was safe and well with a relative.
The woman’s body was removed from the two-storey terraced house on Friday night to the morgue at Cork University Hospital. State Pathologist Dr Yvonne McCartney is due to carry out a postmortem on Saturday morning.
The woman is understood to have suffered injuries to her face and head, but gardaí on Friday night said the course of the investigation would not be determined until postmortem findings were available.
Garda sources were hopeful the examination would establish a cause and approximate time of death, which would assist the investigation should foul play be involved.
Gardaí on Friday evening started carrying out door-to-door inquiries on the quiet cul-de-sac and canvassing for CCTV footage that might assist in identifying anyone who visited the house.
Sources said the investigation was at a very early stage, but there appeared to be no sign of forced entry at the house, which faces on to a green area leading to Ballincollig Regional Park, a popular walking amenity.
“A family liaison officer has been assigned to support the family of the deceased,” the Garda statement added.
Anyone with information or camera footage that could help the investigation is asked to contact Togher Garda station on (021) 4947120, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.