An Irish mother of three has been found dead in Australia, and a 45-year-old man has been charged with her murder. Annmarie O'Reilly, 30, was discovered injured at a house in the Melbourne suburb of Ferntree Gully on Friday. Despite attempts by emergency services to save her, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Patrick Stokes, who is known to Ms. O'Reilly, was arrested later on Friday and charged with one count of murder on Saturday. The 45-year-old appeared before Melbourne Magistrates' Court and has been remanded to appear in February. The property was sealed off as murder detectives launched an investigation.
Ms. O'Reilly was found at a family home, and her children and a pet were removed from the address, according to local outlet 9News. She was originally from Clonmel in County Tipperary.
Loved ones have shared tributes online. Ms. O'Reilly's brother, Jimmy, wrote on Facebook, "Rest in peace to my beautiful sister. Really can't believe it. The nicest woman you'd meet, the best mother to her kids. May you get the best bed in Heaven my beautiful sister, love you so much. Fly high."
Her parents posted an emotional message on social media, calling her their "beautiful daughter." Other messages of condolence were also shared, with one person writing, "We are devastated to learn of the desperately sad news of the untimely death of Annmarie O'Reilly. Our thoughts and prayers are with her children, her parents, Ned and Bridget, her brothers and sisters, her extended family and her friends."
A neighbor described the incident as "awful," telling The Age, "People think this kind of thing just happens in the outer suburbs, but it doesn't – it's happening everywhere."
Tributes, including a bouquet of flowers, have been placed at the site where Ms. O'Reilly was found.
