Gardaí in Co Westmeath have launched a triple murder inquiry following the discovery of the bodies of a woman and her two sons this morning.
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The boys, aged nine and seven, and their thirty-year-old mother were killed in their home in Castledaly, Co Westmeath. The Gardaí say that the victims were viciously attacked before they died.
The Gardaí were alerted to the incident after a neighbour discovered the bodies shortly before 10 a.m. this morning.
The neighbour became suspicious after finding the Castledaly village shop, which is adjacent to the house, closed.
The two boys were found dead in their beds in seperate rooms with multiple injuries. Their mother’s body was found on the kitchen floor.
The 32-year-old father was found "barely conscious" in the shop area of the grocery store with "serious" injuries but he was this evening said to be stable in Portiuncula Hospital, Ballinasloe, Co Galway.
Supt John Farrelly, a spokesman for the Garda Siochana, said: "Somebody went to the shop this morning but the shop was closed and they went round the back and saw the lady lying in the kitchen.
"The boys were found with multiple injuries in their separate bedrooms in the bungalow while the husband was semi-conscious in the front shop area.
"The three deceased had received severe injuries. There was a lot of blood," Supt Farrelly said.
House-to-house inquiries were being carried out and the police have appealed for possible witnesses to come forward but Supt Farrelly said: "The investigation is being concentrated in the house at this time."
Detectives are anxious to interview the survivor and Supt Farrelly said: "He was taken to the casualty department but has since been moved to a ward.
"It is difficult to know when we will be able to interview him. That will be a matter for the medics."
No murder weapon has been positively identified but a number of domestic implements around the house will come under the scrutiny of the garda ballistics experts.
The family, who have not been named by police, moved to the village near Athlone a year-and-a-half ago.
They were last seen around the village yesterday and Supt Farrelly said they must have died within 12 hours of their discovery.
Post-mortem examinations were to be carried out at Mullingar General Hospital by the Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, this evening. Results are not expected until tomorrow.
Supt Farrelly said the small village community was shocked by what had happened: "The gardai that made the grim discovery this morning were obviously shocked - it would take a very hardened person to be able to come out of that unaffected by it."
Additional reporting PA
