Gardaí have appealed for information after a 11-year old boy was found dead in a house in Limerick city.
The boy, named locally as Brooklyn Colbert, was discovered in a house off the Shanabooley Road in Ballynanty on Sunday night. Sources said he had sustained "multiple injuries".
A man presented himself at Henry Street Garda’s Station shortly afterwards.
The 26-year old man, who is well-known to the boy, is still being questioned by detectives in connection with the death.
Local sources said a man was observed on Sunday evening walking with the boy in Ballynanty.
The Garda Technical Bureau have carried out a forensic examination of the house.
Detectives are conducting house to house enquiries in the local community, as they tried to piece together the boy’s last known movements.
The boy’s mother, Sonia Aylmer, was being supported by friends and family as well as a Garda Liaison Officer.
“He was her whole life, she is obviously, absolutely heartbroken. We just can’t believe this has happened,” sources added.
The boy’s father, named locally as Wayne Colbert (34), is a well-known soccer player who had spells with a number of League of Ireland clubs, sporting sources said.
A postmortem 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.”