Northern Ireland

Karen Cummings: Two men charged with murder

The 40-year-old mother-of-two died at her home in Banbridge on Saturday evening

Alan Lewis - PhotopressBelfast.co.uk            17-12-2024
Murdered paediattric nurse Karen Cummings from Banbridge in County Down.
Murdered paediattric nurse Karen Cummings from Banbridge in County Down. (Alan Lewis - Photopress Belfast/Photopress Belfast)

Detectives investigating the “brutal and senseless” killing of Karen Cummings have charged two men with her murder.

The men, one aged 42, the other a 32-year-old, are to appear before Newry Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Both were arrested over the weekend, the older male at Ms Cummings’ Banbridge home on Saturday evening, the second man 15 hours later on Sunday afternoon.

Alan Lewis - PhotopressBelfast.co.uk                  17=10-2024
Police forensics officers returned today, (Monday), to the scene of the murder of paediatric nurse Karen Cummings at Laurel Heights in Banbridge,  
She was murdered at the weekend and died as a result of a severe head injury.
Police forensics officers returned to the scene on Monday

The 40-year-old mother-of-two was discovered by emergency workers at the scene, fatally injured with a serious wound to her head.

She died in the house at Laurel Heights in the Co Down town.

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The 32-year-old was charged with murder on Tuesday. The 42-year-old is charged with murder, firearms-related offences and handling stolen goods.

As is usual procedure, all charges are reviewed by the Public Prosecution Service, the PSNI said.

Vigils to be held for Karen Cummings
Vigils to be held for Karen Cummings

Vigils will be held in Banbridge and Newry on Thursday to remember Ms Cummings, a children’s nurse who worked at Daisy Hill Hospital. The candlelight vigils will both take place at 6pm.

In a post on social media, the organisers of the Newry vigil described Ms Cummings as a “daughter, sister, friend and cherished work colleague”.

“She devoted her life to looking after her own children and many other children in her role as a paediatric nurse in Daisy Hill,” the post continued.