Gardaí investigating the death of a Kilkenny schoolgirl in "unexplained circumstances" last November yesterday revealed that they have spoken to the girl's mother at a Dublin hospital and confirmed that the investigation is "ongoing".
The body of 16-year-old Ciara Gibbs was found on the morning of Sunday, November 26th, at her home in the townland of Killure near Goresbridge, Co Kilkenny.
Although gardaí have not released results of a postmortem carried out by State pathologist Prof Marie Cassidy "for operational reasons", it is understood that the teenager died from drowning in a bath in the house.
Her mother, psychiatrist Dr Lynn Hutchinson, was found in "a collapsed state" and taken to St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny before subsequently being transferred to St Patrick's Hospital in Dublin.
Gardaí believe her account of the events leading to her daughter's death is "crucial" to their investigation. However, they have been unable to interview her before now as she had been too ill.
Supt Aiden Roche of Thomastown, who is leading the investigation, said that gardaí have spoken to Dr Hutchinson "recently" and "may speak to her again".
He had "no further comment" when asked if the interview had helped to shed light on the girl's death.
Gardaí had been "guided by the medical authorities" in gaining access for the interview.
Supt Roche said that Dr Hutchinson is still in hospital and it is believed she will remain there for some time.
He added that gardaí believe that "there were only two people present" in the house when Ciara Gibbs died - the girl and her mother.
The two were discovered in the house by Dr Hutchinson's husband, Gerard Gibbs, and 14-year-old son Gearóid, who had been away overnight and had returned to the house on the Sunday morning.
They alerted the emergency services.
The house was forensically examined by Garda technical experts and subsequently handed back to Mr Gibbs.
The funeral of Ciara Gibbs took place in Co Tipperary last month. There was a guard of honour comprising 30 of her schoolmates.