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Prayers offered following tragic death of baby left in her father's car

 It is understood Chloe Fogarty's father was due to drop her off at a creche at around 8am before going to O’Dwyer Steel in Dundrum, where he works as a foreman. Picture from Google Maps
 It is understood Chloe Fogarty's father was due to drop her off at a creche at around 8am before going to O’Dwyer Steel in Dundrum, where he works as a foreman. Picture from Google Maps  It is understood Chloe Fogarty's father was due to drop her off at a creche at around 8am before going to O’Dwyer Steel in Dundrum, where he works as a foreman. Picture from Google Maps

A CO Tipperary village is rallying around the distraught parents of a seven-month-old baby girl who died after being left in her father's car for several hours.

Flowers and tributes were laid at the site where baby Chloe Fogarty was found unresponsive after being left unattended in a car in Dundrum on Thursday, on one of the hottest days of the year.

Prayers were also offered today in local churches for the little girl, the only child of Louise and Paul Fogarty from Kilfeacle, near Tipperary town.

Her funeral is due to take place on Monday at St Nicholas' Church, Solohead, followed by private burial.

It is understood Chloe's father was due to drop her off at a creche at around 8am before going to O’Dwyer Steel in Dundrum, where he works as a foreman.

It has been suggested he got distracted by a phone call and left the child in the car. When he remembered and returned to the car at around 1.45pm, she was unresponsive. It is believed she may have suffered heat stroke.

Paul and Louise Fogarty are being comforted by family and friends following the tragedy
Paul and Louise Fogarty are being comforted by family and friends following the tragedy Paul and Louise Fogarty are being comforted by family and friends following the tragedy

Paramedics and a local GP worked on the baby girl at the scene, before she was transported to nearby Kickham's GAA club where she was airlifted to University Hospital Limerick.

But she tragically passed away at around 5pm.

A post-mortem was understood to have taken place today, however, it is not expected to be completed until tomorrow.

A Garda spokesman described what happened as a "personal tragedy" and a "very sensitive" case.

Her parents, who have been described as popular and well-known in their area, were last night being comforted by family and friends.

Colleagues of Mr Fogarty gathered outside the O’Dwyer Steel premises today to remember the little girl and her devastated family. Around 40 staff members laid flowers and lit candles in memory of the baby.

Sinn Féin councillor Martin Browne said there was "disbelief and shock" in the local community.

"This is a total nightmare for the young couple, with their first child and only married," he said.

"It's just unbelievable, in the local community there's a numbness and complete shock for what has actually happened.

The Ennistymon Parish also appealed for prayers for the couple.

In a statement, it said Chloe "entered God's presence, as an angel, yesterday following a tragic accident".

"May God Bless them in this horrific time in their lives and all parents who know their pain at this time."