It is expected that an arrest will be made later today in connection to the murder of an 8-year-old girl who was stabbed to death at her home in New Ross, County Wexford on Sunday night.
The girl, Malika Al Kattib, died trying to save her mother from a knife attack after being awoken by commotion before midnight on Sunday night.
It was reported that Malika died in hospital after being stabbed in the neck
The girls mother, an Irish woman who converted to Islam, sustained non-life threatening injuries in the attack.
A man in his 30s also sustained injuries that are not life threatening in nature.
Gardaí expect to arrest the man, who is of Middle Eastern origin, later today when he is discharged from hospital where he remains under Garda supervision.
Garda detectives say they are following a definite line of inquiry and that they believe they have established the substantive facts surrounding the murder of Malika.
Local Cll. John Dwyer said,’The whole community is numbed by this. It’s an absolute tragedy. I was speaking with family members who are just devastated, as you can imagine.
‘It’s an eight-year-old child killed like this. It’s just so heartbreaking.
‘The news went around the town like wildfire, as you can imagine. My thoughts are with the family here and we’ll do what we can to help them.’
It was reported that Malika had been staying with her aunt and did not wish to return home but did return to her own house in order to attend school the following.
More to follow.