Tributes have poured in for an 11-year old boy found dead in a house in Limerick in suspicious circumstances.
The boy, named locally as 11-year old Brooklyn Colbert, was found with multiple injuries at a house near Shanabooley Road, Ballynanty, on Sunday night.
Gardai at the Mayorstone Park Station in Limerick have appealed for witnesses or anyone with information to contact them.
The boy was discovered fatally assaulted, gardai said.
A man well-known to the boy presented himself at Henry Street Garda Station shortly afterwards.
The 26-year-old man was still being questioned by detectives in connection with the boy’s death.
Local sources said a man was observed on Sunday evening walking with the boy as they made their way to a house in Ballynanty.
Once gardai were alerted to the tragedy, officers raced to the house, where they discovered the boy’s body.
Sources said he had sustained “multiple injuries”.
What appeared to be bloodstains were visible on the handle of the front door of the house on Monday.
The Garda Technical Bureau travelled from Dublin to the Limerick and carried out a forensic examination of the house.
Detectives were conducting house to house enquiries in the local community, as they tried to piece together the boy’s last known movements.
Mother of two Chelsea Smyth, who lives close to the scene, said: “I know the families (involved) and it’s hurtful to hear of the loss. We are all very shocked, especially in this area, things like this don’t normally happen here.”
She described Brooklyn as “a lovely little boy”.
“Him and his mam, it was just the two of them. He was the apple of her eye.”
“It’s very sad and very shocking,” she added.
Local Sinn Fein councillor Sharon Benson said: “When I heard the news last night my stomach sank. It’s a young child, and it’s absolutely devastating.”
Another local woman living nearby said it was hard to describe the depth of sadness felt it the area.
“It is just shocking and devastating that he is so young. It’s a terrible thing that’s happened, so I don't even know how to put it into words.”
John Costelloe, a local father of four, and a Sinn Fein councillor, said his “thoughts and prayers” were with the boy’s family.
“I can’t believe it, an eleven-year old boy taken from his family and his community. It’s absolutely horrendous. People are just numb around here. It’s just beyond words, really.”
The boy’s father, named locally as Wayne Colbert, is a well-known soccer player who had spells with a number of League of Ireland clubs, sporting sources said.
The boy’s devastated mother, named locally as Sonia Aylmer, was being supported by friends and family as well as a Garda Liaison Officer.
Reliable sources said Brooklyn was Ms Aylmer’s “only child”.
“He was her whole life, she is obviously, absolutely heartbroken. We just can’t believe this has happened,” they added.
A post mortem is being carried out this Monday by assistant state pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster, at University Hospital Limerick.
Gardai appealing for information said: “Any person who was in the vicinity of Shanabooley Road, Ballynanty or in the Moyross area between 4pm-7pm (Sunday), and who saw anything suspicious or to any person who may have seen anything suspicious or to any person who may have information in relation to this investigation is asked to contact the incident room at Mayorstone Park Garda Station on 061-456989, the Garda Confidential Line 1800-666-111 or any Garda Station.”
