Gardaí investigating the death of a young mother in Dundalk, Co Louth are believed to be looking into allegations that two men assaulted her after breaking into the house shortly before her death.
The body of the 34-year-old woman, named locally as settled traveller Jacqueline McDonagh, remained at the scene until after the house and front garden were examined by the deputy State Pathologist Dr Michael Curtis.
Gardaí found the body when they were called to the scene at about 3.15am this morning.
Sources confirmed that the dead woman’s husband and her three children were in the house at College Manor, Dundalk, at the time.
Supt Gerry Curley of Dundalk Garda station asked that anyone who saw or heard anything suspicious between midnight and 3.30am this morning to contact gardaí in confidence.
An incident room has been set up at Dundalk Garda station and a team of detectives carried out house-to-house enquiries today.
Neighbours were reluctant to give their names but one woman said that she had seen the dead woman the previous afternoon.
“She was cleaning the house, she often did. I looked at her and she looked at me. She had young children. There were a lot of people coming to the house and sometimes a man would sit outside it. I am too scared to give you my name,” said one woman.
The chairman of the residents association, John Temple, said the community was shocked and appealed for people with information to also get in touch with gardaí.
Kevin Meenan, local Sinn Féin councillor, said everyone in the area was shocked.
"It's a nightmare for her three kids, that's all everybody is thinking," he said.
"It's something you think would happen miles away, in a different part of the country but this is right on our door steps.
"All our prayers go to the kids and her family."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dundalk Garda station on 042-9388400