THE body of an elderly woman has been found at her home on the outskirts of Cork city.
The 89-year-old pensioner was found unresponsive in a hallway by a relative at about 9pm last night in an isolated area of Waterfall, Co. Cork.
She was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gardaí and emergency services were immediately alerted.
According to the Irish Times, the woman had injuries to her feet and although there were no signs of forced entry, a patio door was found to be open.
She had last been seen alive on Sunday when she was visited by a relative.
Gardaí immediately sealed off the area and the deceased remained in the house overnight as officers examined the scene.
The course of their investigation will be determined by a post-mortem due to be carried out at Cork University Hospital (CUH) today, they said.
The woman was the victim of a burglary a number of years ago but Gardaí stress they are keeping an open mind pending Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster's findings.
It's believed she have been dead for up to a day as a meal left for her by the local meals on wheels group remained untouched in the porch of her home.
Detectives believe the pensioner may have been dead for up to a day as a meal left for her by the local meals on wheels group remained untouched in the porch of her house.
