GARDAÍ INVESTIGATING the death of a woman following an assault outside a maternity hospital believe members of the public captured the fatal beating on their mobile phones.
Detectives are now urgently trying to trace the witnesses so footage they recorded can be used as evidence.
The victim, Tracey O’Brien (31), with an address at North Circular Road, Dublin, died of her injuries yesterday at Beaumont Hospital.
She had been critically ill since the attack on June 18th outside the Rotunda Hospital in the north inner city.
A man was being questioned last night about the killing. He is the chief suspect in the case.
Gardaí also questioned a woman who, they believe, also struck the victim just before the fatal attack.
She was released without charge and a file is being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions. Both suspects have addresses in Dublin’s north inner city.
Gardaí are still trying to determine the exact circumstances leading up to the attack at 2.15pm outside the Rotunda Hospital on Parnell Square East.
However, they believe Ms O’Brien became involved in a fight on the street with a woman known to her who was a patient at the hospital. It is believed she was an outpatient. The confrontation between the women became physical. The woman attending the hospital went back into the Rotunda and a man known to her emerged.
Gardaí believe he assaulted Ms O’Brien and stamped on her head as she was on the ground. It is at this point that gardaí believe members of the public recorded the incident on their telephones.
The emergency services were alerted and the injured woman was taken by ambulance to the Mater Hospital. She was transferred to Beaumont, where she died from her injuries.
The State Pathologist’s office has been notified and a postmortem on the victim’s remains is due to take place today.
The 32-year-old male suspect was arrested yesterday morning in Clondalkin, west Dublin. He was taken to Store Street Garda station. He was still being questioned there last night under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
The 34-year-old woman, who gardaí believe was involved in the initial confrontation, was arrested on Tuesday but has since been released.
Gardaí are appealing for any members of the public in Parnell Square East last Thursday between 2pm and 2.30pm to contact them. The investigating team is keen to speak to anybody who saw the attack or may have captured it on their mobile phone.
Gardaí in Fitzgibbon Street are investigating the attack and can be contacted on 01-6668455.