Murder investigation launched after boy (4) and woman (60) killed in Offaly house fire
Ottoline Spearman
A murder investigation has begun after a young boy and woman were killed in a fire in Edenderry, Co Offaly, on Saturday evening.
60-year-old Mary Holt and four-year-old Tadhg Farrell died in the fire, while a second woman in her 50s is in critical condition and is being treated in hospital.
The fire took place at a house in Castleview Park, Edenderry, with emergency services called to the scene shortly before 7:45pm.
The fire was extinguished and the remains of the 60-year-old woman and the four-year-old boy were then discovered.
An Garda Síochána believes that the house was "deliberately" attacked, and in a statement, described it as a "reckless, callous and murderous attack on a family home".
Gardaí said that the house has been declared a crime scene and is currently subject to technical examination by the Garda Technical Bureau.
The office of the Local Coroner and the State Pathologist have been notified.
The remains of both deceased have been removed from the scene and post mortems were to be carried out at the Midland Regional Hospital Tullamore on Sunday afternoon.
Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan strongly condemned what he described as a “deliberate callous attack” on the house.
“There is no place in a civilised society for such heinous violence. I join An Garda Síochána in appealing to anyone with information to come forward,” he told RTÉ.
Gardaí in Offaly are appealing for any information. They want to speak with any person who was in, or driving around, the vicinity of Castleview Park, or adjoining roads between 7pm and 8pm on Saturday, December 6th.
They are also appealing for any dashcam videos or footage.
The investigation team can be contacted at the incident room at Tullamore Garda Station on 057 932 7600, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station, in particular Edenderry Garda Station.
