ANTHONY WARD, AN eight-year-old Cork boy who was found dead in his home yesterday morning, died from asphyxia, according to preliminary results from a post-mortem.

Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster has been on the scene at Charleville since yesterday afternoon and it is understood that initial autopsy results indicate that the young schoolboy was suffocated.

Anthony’s body was discovered by Gardaí and family members on Monday morning, just minutes after he was due back at school. He was planning to begin Third Class at the local primary.

It is believed that he died in the early hours of the morning and the alarm was later raised by Anthony’s 43-year-old mother, Diane, who was taken to hospital for treatment.

Last night, the Health Service Executive said, “as with all serious incidents such as this”,  it was committed to undertaking a “comprehensive review of its involvement” with the Ward family. It added:

HSE South, Console (24 hour freephone helpline number 1800 201 890) and other agencies will provide appropriate support, assistance and counselling to those affected by the incident.

According to RTÉ News at One, Gardaí have asked fore more time to conduct their technical examination of the Ward family home.

8-year-old boy found dead in Cork was due back in school today>

Exam due on body to discover how 8-year-old Anthony Ward died>

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