Catherine Cosgrove and her currently unnamed partner were found dead in their west Belfast home
A teenage boy fled from his house screaming after discovering his mother and her partner dead.
A woman named locally as Catherine Cosgrove and her partner, who is yet to be identified, were found at their home in west Belfast on Thursday.
Thomas Cosgrove discovered his mother’s body while he was on study leave.
“He came running out into the street screaming, he was in an awful state,” a neighbour told the Belfast Telegraph.
“He came down the stairs to find his mummy lying there.”
A neighbour rushed in to help the teenager, only to find the second body upstairs.
Another neighbour told Q Radio News: “It’s devastating, there are young kids involved, they’re a very well-liked family.”
An ambulance was called to the scene but both people were dead on arrival.
Half a dozen police officers remained at the cordoned off scene late last night, with the area under police watch overnight.
Adrian Walsh, the headmaster of St Colm’s High School where Thomas recently completed his GCSEs, said the family were in their “thoughts and prayers”.
Support and counselling services have been offered to Thomas by the school, along with his brothers Carlos and Christopher who are past pupils.
Sinn Fein member of the assembly Orlaithi Flynn said there was “shock and sadness” throughout the community.
According to neighbours Md Cosgrove was a “quiet woman, but very friendly”.
