LAST UPDATE | 13 Apr

LIMERICK WOMAN SCARLETT Faulkner, who suffered critical head injuries during an assault last month, has died in hospital.

Her support machine was turned off today. Last week, Scarlett’s relatives said they were preparing to say their last goodbyes to her, three weeks after she was assaulted and suffered critical head injuries.

The deceased had been on life-support at Cork University Hospital (CUH) after she was attacked on the side of the R494 road, outside the village of Birdhill, Co Tipperary, on 21 March.

Scarlett, who was in her 20s, had been in an induced coma at CUH to help swelling in her brain reduce.

An Garda Siochána confirmed that a woman injured in a serious assault which occurred on the R494 at Birdhill, Co Tipperary on 21 March was pronounced deceased earlier today in CUH.

A garda spokesperson said a Family Liaison Officer has been assigned to support the family. They also said a coroner has been notified and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course.

Members of the mother-of-one’s family had been posting regular updates on social media of her condition in hospital.

In a social media post last week, Josephine (Joanne) Duffy, a partner of Scarlett’s brother Thomas Faulkner, said that it was looking likely they would be “disconnecting Scarlett (from) her life/support machine”.

A 16-year-old girl is before the courts charged with assault causing serious harm to Scarlett on 21 March last.

A 40-year-old woman is charged with endangerment, violent disorder as well as burglary, arising out of the garda investigation into the alleged assault on the young woman.

The girl and the woman cannot be identified by order of District Court judge Carol Anne Coolican.

The two accused females have been remanded in custody to appear before Tipperary District Court sitting in Nenagh, on 23 April.