Gardai treating death of boy, 3, at his home as tragic…

Gardai treating death of boy, 3, at his home as tragic accident

Gardai are treating the death of a three-year-old boy at his home this Friday, as a tragic accident.

The boy, named locally as Padraig Cunningham, was fatally injured when he was struck by a vehicle at Ballyduhig, West Limerick at around 10.30am.

Emergency services rushed to the scene and desperately tried to save the boy’s life, but he was pronounced dead at University Hospital Limerick.

A post mortem will be conducted by a local pathologist and the matter referred to the office of the Limerick coroner for an inquest.

Local non-party councillor Jerome Scanlan, who is a family friend, said the local community would do its best to support the the boy’s heartbroken parents, Robert Cunningham, and Denise Cunningham, who is a former national school teacher.

The farming family were being comforted by relatives and friends as they tried to come to terms with the sudden and tragic death of their young son.

“We’re all trying to come to terms with the tragic news in Ballyduhig today, it’s just dreadful, a frightening thing to happen,” said Mr Scanlan.

“My heart goes out to the family, and it is just unbelievable that something like this could happen to a three and half year old child, it’s just a dreadful scenario, it’s dreadful for his mother and his father and his three sisters that are aged a few years old than him, the eldest is 12.”

“The parents are dedicated to their children and this is the outcome; it’s just terrible, one never knows when you get up if you’re going to get to bed or what is going to face you.”

“The family are the pillars of the community in the Broadford - Raheenagh - Ballyduhig area. I know them very well; he was called after his grandad Patsy, who is a very nice gentleman in his 80s.”

Fianna Fáil TD Niall Collins passed on his sympathies to the well known farm family and said the area had been plunged into a deep sadness.

“It’s an awful tragedy for the family involved, I have been talking to a number of people in the local community and they are utterly shocked and devastated by what has happened,” said Mr Collins.

Gardai said in a statement: “Gardaí and emergency services attended the scene of an incident on private property, in Charleville, Co.Limerick this morning, Friday, 22nd July 2022.

“A 3 year old child (boy) later passed away from his injuries.

“A family liaison officer has been appointed to support the family at this time.

“An Garda Síochána ask that the media give the family privacy at this time and report on this incident sensitively.