The State Pathologist will this morning carry out postmortem examinations on the bodies of a woman and her two young daughters who drowned in the River Slaney, in Wexford yesterday, writes James Fitzgerald in Barntown, Co Wexford.
Gardaí said they believed there was nothing suspicious about the three deaths which have been described as "a terrible tragedy".
The dead were named last night as Sharon Grace of Ballyhine, Barntown, Co Wexford, her daughters Abby, aged three, and four-year-old Mikahla.
They were found in an area of the River Slaney, known as Kaats Strand, by four fishermen just after 10am yesterday.
The area is located on the eastern side of the River Slaney near Crosstown Cemetery.
The bodies were found in the water and a bag thought to belong to Ms Grace was found nearby on the shore.
The deceased woman and her two children had been reported missing to gardaí at about 2.25am yesterday. Ms Grace, who was in her late 20s, was a native of Barntown, and lived a mile from her parents home.
She was separated from the father of her children, who lived in Wexford town. Locals said Ms Grace had one older daughter named Amy.
Ms Grace is thought to have taken a taxi into Wexford town on Saturday night with the two young children.
Barntown residents were last night trying to come to terms with the deaths. One woman who knew Ms Grace said: "She was a nice person. She was very pleasant to talk to. She had three beautiful children and always seemed devoted to her kids.
"This has already had an awful effect on the area. Barntown is a small place and nothing like this has ever happened here before. People have been talking about nothing else all day. It's terrible."
Another local woman said: "I have known the family a long time and it is just heartbreaking what has happened. I feel so bad for her family. You wouldn't wish this kind of tragedy on anyone".
Gardaí said last night that the bodies had been taken to Wexford General Hospital where postmortem examinations will be carried out this morning.