THE PSNI has begun an investigation into the death of an 18- month-old baby boy in Co Antrim.
A man and woman were arrested after the dead child was taken to a Ballymena hospital have now been released on police bail pending further inquiries.
As a postmortem was being conducted yesterday afternoon, Ballymena Borough Council deputy mayor Declan O’Loan said: “Clearly, it is a situation for considerable concern that a baby has died in circumstances which give the police grounds to treat the death as sus-picious.”
Meanwhile, in Omagh, Co Tyrone, police and social services are investigating how a five-year-old girl was found wandering barefoot in the snow in her pyjamas in the town centre at 5am last Thursday.
The girl, who was spotted a quarter of a mile from her home by supermarket cleaning staff, was taken into care by social services. A man and a woman were arrested and subsequently released on bail.
SDLP Omagh councillor Dr Josephine Deehan described the incident as “distressing”.
“There are two feelings in Omagh, one of incredulity that something like this could happen, secondly, one of immense relief that a tragedy has been avoided.
“There is an investigation ongoing as to how an event which could have led to this child’s death could have happened. Surely there will be lessons to be learnt.”