Gardaí confirm young girl seriously injured during assault on Limerick border

GARDAÍ have confirmed that the child who was seriously injured during an alleged assault incident in Charleville, on the Limerick-Cork border was a young girl.

Gardaí are now appealing for witnesses following an incident of criminal damage and assault at a residence in Charleville on Monday night, at approximately 11:30pm on August 19.

Superintendent Gary McPolin told RTÉ it was a "heinous assault", and he described it as "reprehensible".

"Considerable criminal damage to a vehicle and house was observed," gardaí have confirmed.

The young girl, who is believed to be around age 12, was transferred from the scene by ambulance services to Cork University Hospital.

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She has since been transferred to Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street in what is described as a serious but stable condition.

"The scene of the incident was preserved and a technical examination has since been conducted by the Divisional Scenes of Crime Unit," an official garda statement reads.

"Investigations are ongoing."

Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed this incident to come forward or who may have been in the vicinity between 10.30pm and 12.00am midnight.

Additionally, any persons with camera footage (including dash-cam footage) from the area at the time are encouraged to provide it to investigating Gardaí.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Mallow Garda Station at 022 31450, the Garda Confidential Line at 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.