Post‑mortem shows Bray woman died days before being found

A post‑mortem has confirmed that a woman discovered dead in her Bray home on Wednesday had died a few days earlier.

Gardaí were called to the property on Cois Cairn in North Bray at 8 a.m., where they found the body of Biddy O’Brien in an upstairs bedroom and her husband, Jamie McGinn, in the front garden.

Examination of Ms O’Brien’s body revealed no injuries suggesting foul play. Blood samples are being tested to determine whether a drug overdose contributed to her death.

Mr McGinn’s body displayed visible injuries, and investigators are considering whether he may have taken his own life after finding his wife.

The couple, who have a long history of drug abuse, previously lost two young children in a 2017 house fire in Clondalkin, West Dublin. The tragedy is noted as a factor in their subsequent addictions.

In January 2023, gardaí searched the home and recovered almost 3 kg of cocaine and a small amount of cannabis from the shed. The Dublin Circuit Criminal Court later reduced Mr McGinn’s sentence to 18 months, taking into account his €8,000 drug debt and the impact of the earlier family loss.

Source: Irish Examiner. Photo: Denisse Villar / Pexels.