Foul play ruled out in death of teenager

Gardaí last night ruled out foul play in the death of a 14-year-old teenager in Mallow, Co Cork early yesterday.

Gardaí last night ruled out foul play in the death of a 14-year-old teenager in Mallow, Co Cork early yesterday.

The teenager, who was in foster care with a family in north Cork, was discovered shortly after 8 a.m. at a friend's house where he had gone to stay the night.

Gardaí from Mallow were called to the scene and began investigating the circumstances surrounding the death.

While initially they described the death as suspicious, they later said they had ruled out foul play.

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This followed their receipt of toxicology and preliminary post mortem results from Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster, who carried out an examination of the body at Cork University Hospital.

The time of death had yet to be established last night, the death having been discovered only when someone tried to wake the teenager for school early yesterday.

Gardaí said the only other inquiries into the death would be for the purpose of a coroner's inquest.

A spokeswoman for the Southern Health Board said it would co-operate fully in any way with the Garda inquiries, or the inquest to establish the exact cause of death.

She said the health board was liaising with the foster family involved, and gathering details on the case.

The fatality comes 10 months after the death of a teenage youth in the care of the North Eastern Health Board.

In that case, Shane Hafford (16) died after collapsing in an apartment complex across the road from the health board home where he lived. His family subsequently called for an independent inquiry into his death.