Neighbours continued to leave flowers for tragic Santina Cawley yesterday as a woman was held in connection with her murder.
Gardai arrested the suspect, in her 30s, at an address in Cork city at around noon. The woman in custody is not the two-year-old’s mother.
A source said last night: “It seems the kid had suffered an assault on the night of the incident.
“To be honest, it is beyond horrific.”
Santina was found with severe injuries at an apartment in the Elderwood complex on Boreenmanna Road on the south side of the city on Friday morning.
Gardai rushed to the scene after her father, Mike Cawley, raised the alarm.
She was taken to Cork University Hospital where she later died with her mother Bridget by her side.
Shocked residents revealed they had heard Mr Cawley in a distressed state and shouting, “My baby girl is dead” in the early hours.
It is believed Santina suffered several bone fractures and a traumatic head injury. A large amount of blood was also present at the scene.
Following the completion of a postmortem by Deputy State Path-ologist Dr Margot Bolster on Saturday, gardai launched a murder investigation.
Details of the examination are not being released for operational reasons.
The woman in custody is being questioned at Gurranabraher Garda station. She can be detained for up to 24 hours before officers charge or release her.
Yesterday neighbour Stuart Leasley was paying his respects to tragic Santina.
He told the Irish Mirror: “I put some flowers down here with my youngest daughter. I had to explain to her what had gone off.
“It was hard trying to explain to a four-year-old so I just told her the little baby had gone to sleep and won’t be waking up.”
Detectives have so far taken dozens of witness statements and seized two cars from outside the apartment building as part of their investigations. A full technical examination of the property was carried out by crime scene examiners from Cork city.
Door-to-door enquiries are continuing and gardai have appealed to anyone with any information or who was at the Elderwood complex between 4pm on Thursday, July 4, and 6am on Friday, July 5, to come forward.
An incident room has been set up at Anglesea Street Garda station.
Tributes have been pouring in for the murdered youngster with numerous flowers and toys left near the scene.
Santina’s uncle took to social media to write: “Rip beautiful angel. Cruel world. Live life to the full and have no regrets.”
No funeral arrangements have been made as yet.
However, it is expected the body of the two-year-old will be released to her family on Wednesday.
