A father discovered the bodies of his three children dead at a house in Dublin, according to local media.
The bodies of Conor, nine, Darragh, seven, and Carla McGinley, three, were found in Newcastle, South Dublin.
A chilling note reading ‘call 999, don’t go upstairs’ was found in the hallway, reports suggest.
The father of three children who were found dead in their family home in Dublin was the one who discovered their bodies, local media reports. Pictured: Conor, nine, Darragh, seven, and Carla McGinley, three, with their father Andrew
The bodies of Conor, nine, Darragh, seven, and Carla McGinley, three, were found in a house in Newcastle, South Dublin. Pictured: Police at the scene
Police are investigating whether the two boys and one girl could have suffocated at their home in Newcastle, South Dublin. Pictured: An ambulance outside the house
A chilling note reading ‘call 999, don’t go upstairs’ was found in the hallway, reports suggest. Pictured: Police at the scene today
A woman – believed to be the children’s mother – was found ‘wandering the streets’ in a ‘disoriented state’ shortly before the bodies were found.
A taxi driver stopped and took her home around 7pm.
The woman -named locally as nurse Deirdre Morley – is said to have taken an overdose of painkillers and became unconscious in the car by the time they got back to the house.
The taxi driver called an ambulance out of concern around the same time the father went inside the house, Extra.ie reports.
She was taken to Tallaght hospital.
Police were looking into whether the children were drugged or poisoned but are now investigating the possibility that they were suffocated, The Sun reports.
A woman believed to be the children’s mother was found ‘wandering the streets’ in a ‘disoriented state’. Pictured: Tributes at the scene
Gardaí found her on the street near her house. Pictured: An ambulance at the scene today
There was no sign of a break-in at the house, sources said.
Security insiders stressed last night that the investigation into the tragic events was at a very ‘early stage’.
The estate where the young family lived, Parson’s Court, is made up of both houses and apartments.
There was no sign of a break-in at the house, sources said. Pictured: Police at the scene
The woman was taken to Tallaght hospital for treatment. Pictured: Police at the scene last night
A Garda spokesperson said: ‘At approximately 7.45pm Friday 24 January 2020 Gardaí responded to a call at Parson’s Court, Newcastle, County Dublin.
‘Ambulance personnel and responding Gardaí discovered the bodies of three children in the house: Brothers and sister Conor (nine), Darragh (seven) and Carla (three) McGinley.
‘A female relative, aged in her 40’s, was found at the scene and is currently receiving medical attention in Tallaght Hospital.
‘The scene is currently being examined by members of the Garda Technical Bureau. Assistant State Pathologist Margot Bolster has attended the scene.
‘The bodies of the three children have been removed to the City Morgue, where a post mortem examination will take place later today.
‘The results of the post mortem will determine the cause of death of the three children. A family liaison officer has been appointed and is in contact with the father and the extended family.’
Security insiders stressed last night that the investigation into the tragic events was at a very ‘early stage’. Pictured: Tributes at the scene
The Garda Technical Bureau has also been alerted and a detailed forensic examination in the area was being carried out. Pictured: Police at the scene
Councillor for the area Emer Higgins described the events as an ‘unimaginable tragedy’.
‘My thoughts are with everybody impacted,’ said the Fine Gael representative.
‘This is a really tight-knit community, it’s a small area, it’s a quiet area, and it’s just unthinkable that something like this could be happening on our doorstep.
‘It’s so tragic. It’s unbelievable that three young people’s lives could be cut short like that, in what seems to be a particularly tragic case.’