World4 min(s) read
Heartbreaking details have emerged about the deaths of a couple whose bodies were reportedly discovered by their teenage children.
Thomasina Tobin and her husband, Patrick Tobin, died on August 25 while staying in Cullera, Spain, during a two-week vacation in the luxury Cap Blanc area near Valencia.
While the exact details remain unclear, investigators are looking into whether a malfunction trapped the couple in the outdoor hot tub and prevented escape.
One theory suggests the pair suffered cardiac arrests after becoming exhausted while desperately trying to free themselves.
"Preliminary analyses indicate that the victims suffered cardiac arrest brought on by acute stress following physical exhaustion and the desperation of the moment," Valencia newspaper Las Provincias reported.
Thomasina was originally from Castleblayney and was the daughter of Irish playwright and actor Tommy McArdle.
She had lived in London for 20 years and worked as a chartered surveyor, contributing to projects including the Ritz and the Shard.
Patrick was initially reported to also be Irish, but he was actually from New Zealand.
The couple's two teenage children, reportedly aged 14 and 16 and both with additional support needs, are said to have found their parents in the hot tub. They then alerted neighbors, who contacted police.
Homicide detectives were initially brought in after marks and scratches were found, but foul play has since been ruled out.
Investigators are now looking into whether a problem with the hot tub itself could have prevented the couple from getting out.
Hot tub industry experts joined the Guardia Civil team at the property to examine the scene, including the tub's suction fittings and their power.
Las Provincias reported: "According to the first investigations, the excessive suction force would have imprisoned the couple inside the bathtub, which triggered a situation of extreme anguish and desperate physical effort to free themselves from the hydraulic grip.
"The autopsy findings almost definitively reinforce the theory of accidental entrapment. Preliminary analyses indicate that the victims suffered cardiac arrest brought on by acute stress following physical exhaustion and the desperation of the moment," they added.
Police have suggested the scratches found on the couple may have been caused as they attempted to free one another.
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Although accidental entrapment is one theory under investigation, another possibility has also reportedly been considered.
It has been suggested that one parent may have suffered a heart attack after being electrocuted by a possible hot tub fault, before the other died while trying to save them.
The precise circumstances surrounding the couple's deaths remain under investigation.
Relatives are said to have traveled to Spain to support the children following the tragedy.
The Department of Foreign Affairs also confirmed that it was involved in the case.
A spokeswoman told the Irish Mirror: "The Department is aware of this case and is providing consular assistance in the case of the Irish citizen concerned.
"As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the details of individual cases," they added.
Our thoughts are with the couple's loved one at this time.
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