Mum of three fights for life after assault
Nicola Murray was in a critical condition in hospital last night after she was attacked at her home in Rialto, Dublin, during the early hours of Sunday morning
A YOUNG mother of three was last night fighting for her life after suffering serious head injuries in an assault at her home in the early hours of Sunday morning.
Nicola Murray (28), originally from Crumlin but living at Reuben Walk, Rialto, in Dublin's south inner city, was taken to Beaumont Hospital following the incident.
Last night, Ms Murray was in a critical condition as she underwent further tests at the hospital.
She is the mother of two boys and a girl, none of whom is older than nine.
Charge
She gave birth to her second son eight months ago and recently returned to her work in a nearby retirement home following maternity leave.
Gardai arrested a man in his 20s on Sunday evening and he was questioned about the attack up to late last night.
He was detained at Kevin Street station under section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, which allowed officers to hold him without charge for up to 24 hours, excluding rest periods.
Officers were called to Ms Murray's home after a telephone call had been made to paramedics.
But gardai are still trying to establish when the assault began and how long she remained in her home without medical treatment.
House-to-house inquiries were carried out in the area yesterday by officers from Kilmainham garda station, while members of the technical bureau completed their forensic examination of the scene where the attack took place.
Ambulance
Locals told the Irish Independent that they heard shouting and a number of loud banging noises coming from the house at around 4am on Sunday.
It then went quiet until around 5am when an ambulance arrived to take Ms Murray away.
It is unclear who contacted the ambulance.
"It's absolutely terrible, I know the young woman, she has three kids and all.
"I can't believe that someone would do this," a local woman said.
"I'd know her to say hello to, she's lovely, very unassuming," she added.
Anyone with information has been asked to contact Kilmainham garda station 01-6669700, or the garda confidential line, 1800 666 111.
- Luke Byrne and Tom Brady
Irish Independent
