Gardai look into suspect death

Gardaí in Galway have confirmed they are investigating the death of a woman found crushed under her car in the garage of her …

Gardaí in Galway have confirmed they are investigating the death of a woman found crushed under her car in the garage of her home in Beal a'Daingean on January 10th.

The investigation follows the inquest three weeks ago into the death of Ms Ciara Fox (34). The inquest was adjourned when a family friend asked gardaí to carry out further investigations into how she sustained her injuries.

Ms Fox, a Dubliner who lived with her partner, Mr Pat Feeney, in the Connemara Gaeltacht, was working on her car the day she died.

She was found by her partner and a friend lying face down under the car, and a local doctor pronounced her dead at the scene.

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A consultant pathologist, Dr Malcolm Little, told the inquest in March that Ms Fox had died from injuries consistent with being crushed under a car. However, he said her injuries did not correspond with her being found on her stomach.

Mr Feeney, in his evidence, said that his partner had been in the process of selling her car and was doing some repair work on it that morning.

He said he had gone to a local hardware shop to buy a jack because their own had been damaged. On his return he and an electrician, who was surveying the garage, found her under the car.

When the question of Ms Fox's position was raised at the inquest, a woman in the public gallery said she believed the death should be investigated.

After she had given evidence as to why she believed this, the coroner, Dr Ciarán McLoughlin, adjourned the inquest to allow gardaí carry out a full investigation.

Michelle McDonagh

Michelle McDonagh

Michelle McDonagh, a contributor to The Irish Times, writes about health and family