Murder inquiry expected after postmortem confirms woman (28) died violently in Cork

Gardaí are set to open a murder inquiry in Cork after a postmortem confirmed a 28-year-old woman found in a flat in the city centre on New Year’s Day had died a violent death.

A postmortem by Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster confirmed that the woman, named as Bruna Fonseca, died a violent death at her flat on Liberty St in Cork.

Ms Fonseca, originally from Brazil but who worked as a cleaner with Bidvest Noonan cleaners at the Mercy University Hospital, was found by gardaí in her flat when they responded to a call early this morning.

Officers were alerted when they received a call from a male at around 6.30am about a disturbance at a flat which is near the Washington Street Courthouse and they proceeded to the scene.

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They met a man outside the building and he brought them up to a flat where they found Ms Fonseca unresponsive on a bed and they immediately began administering CPR to try to resuscitate her.

They were joined by HSE paramedics who also worked to try to resuscitate Ms Fonseca but they were unsuccessful and she was pronounced dead at the scene as gardaí cordoned off the area.

Ms Fonseca’s body was later removed to Cork University Hospital where Assistant State Pathologist, Dr Margaret Bolster carried out a postmortem which confirmed she had died a violent death.

Meanwhile gardaí arrested a 29-year-old Brazilian man at the scene and he was taken to the nearby Bridewell Garda station for questioning about the death of the young woman.

The man, who was known to the deceased, was detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act which allows gardaí detain suspects for up to 24 hours before they have to be charged or released.

A garda technical team also began a forensic examination of the flat while gardaí also began door-to-door inquiries to hear if anyone else heard a disturbance in the building which includes several flats.

Gardaí are hoping to piece together the exact sequence of events that led to the woman’s death and try to establish at what time she was last seen alive and when she may have been fatally assaulted.

Gardaí were this evening liaising with members of the Brazilian community in Cork as they sought to gather as much information as they could on the dead woman and when she moved to Leeside.

Anyone who can assist gardaí with their inquiries is asked to contact the Bridewell Garda station on 021-4943330 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station.

Meanwhile Mercy University Hospital management have expressed their sympathies to Ms Fonseca’s friends in Cork and her family back in Brazil on their tragic loss.

“On behalf of management and staff at Mercy University Hospital Cork and Bidvest Noonan’s Contract Cleaners we are saddened and shocked at the tragic and unexpected death of Bruna Fonesca,” said MUH in a statement.

“Even though she was only working for a short time for the company at the hospital she was considered a hard and diligent worker and an esteemed colleague. We extend our deepest condolences to her friends in Cork, and her family and friends in Brazil. May she rest in peace.”