A pile of floral tributes yesterday marked the spot where the body of Robyn Leahy (2) lay on Sunday night after her tragic death in Callan, Co Kilkenny.
"To beloved Robyn - we did the best we could" read one card, a reference to the vain attempts by neighbours to save the child from her father, Canadian national Mr George McGloin, who also died in the incident.
Garda∅ believe Mr McGloin (34), stabbed the girl a number of times and then turned a knife on himself after a dispute with her mother, Ms Lorraine Leahy (26). Robyn suffered injuries to her neck and other parts of her body. Her mother suffered a blow to the back of the head and is being treated at St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny, but her injuries are not life-threatening.
As Garda technical experts continued to examine the scene yesterday, Ms Leahy's next-door neighbour, Ms Colette Cooke, described the scenes of panic on Sunday evening.
Ms Cooke was at home watching television with her daughters and her partner, Johnny, when she heard Ms Leahy screaming. She went outside. "I could see that she had been cut. She was screaming 'he's killing the baby, he's killing the baby'."
"I ran straight in and said 'Johnny, ring somebody, ring the guards, an ambulance, somebody, there's something going on next door.' I was panicking. I went back out and saw everybody was running."
A group of men had come from the Steppes pub nearby, where Ms Leahy worked. Ms Cooke helped them to gain entry to the Leahys' house. "I was saying to them, 'just give me the child, just give me the child'. I thought if I could get the child I might be able to hold her and she might be all right."
When they entered the house, however, both Mr McGloin and his daughter were apparently dead. Mr James Quigley, who owns the pub, and Mr Franny Laffan carried the child from the house and took her across the street.
Throughout yesterday friends and neighbours left flowers outside the Leahys' home on the Clonmel road, and on the spot across the street where her body lay before the arrival of State pathologist Dr John Harbison.
"Robbie, the most beautiful little angel in the world. We will always miss you" and "Baby Robyn, sleep with the angels" were among the messages left.
"She was so good-looking. I used to keep saying she was like a little China doll, she was lovely. I can't get over it," said Ms Cooke. Mr McGloin, she said, visited the child every two or three weekends.
"He was always real nice and pleasant. There wasn't anything about him that would give you concern."
Dr Harbison yesterday completed post-mortems on both bodies. Results announced last night indicated both had died as a result of stab wounds. Garda∅ said they are not seeking anyone in connection with the deaths.