Man questioned over Kilkenny death released without charge

A man arrested in connection with the death of a mother of one in Kilkenny has been released without charge.

Rita Apine (29) was found critically injured at the bottom of her stairs in Freshford at about midday on Sunday and treated outside the house by paramedics. She later died in St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny.

A postmortem examination was carried out yesterday University Hospital in Waterford by deputy state pathologist Linda Mulligan.

A man in his 30s was arrested on Sunday afternoon and held in custody in Kilkenny Garda station for questioning.

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He has since been released without charge. A Garda spokeswoman confirmed a file has been sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a direction on prosecution.

Ms Apine’s daughter is understood to be almost three years of age and was due to start pre-school in September.

They moved into the private rented house in Freshford late last year, having initially sought housing from Kilkenny County Council, and previously lived at St Teresa's Terrace in the city.

Ms Apine, who was originally from Latvia, was not working but was hoping to learn to drive later this year and seek work when her daughter started pre-school.

The house where Ms Apine lived in Freshford, on a three-house terrace just off the village's main square, was sealed off on Sunday by gardaí while members of the Garda Technical Bureau carried out a forensic examination.

Some bouquets of flowers were left by local people.

Gardaí have appealed to anybody who visited the local Costcutter shop, or who may have been in the Bridge Street area of Freshford village, between the hours of 8am and 1pm on Sunday May 14th and who may have heard or noticed anything out of the ordinary to contact them.