A 28-year-old Brazilian librarian who was found dead in a flat in Cork city centre last New Year’s Day died of asphyxia due to manual strangulation, an inquest has heard.
Bruna Fonseca was a native of Formiga in Minas Gerais. She graduated from the Centro Universitario de Formiga in 2018 and moved to Cork in September 2022.
She was working as a contract cleaner in the Mercy University Hospital at the time of her death. Her aim was to further improve her English.
On Thursday, State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster gave the cause of death in the case having performed a postmortem on Bruna Fonseca at Cork University Hospital.
Sgt Fergus Twomey told Cork Coroner’s Court that a man has been charged with the murder of Ms Fonseca. He is due to go on trial at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court next year.
Coroner Philip Comyn adjourned the case until the conclusion of criminal proceedings.
Meanwhile, in excess of €50,000 was raised after a Cork based cousin and a niece of Bruna set up a Go Fund Me page in order to repatriate her body to her native country.
Ms Fonseca was buried in Formiga on January 16th last. She is survived by her parents Tadeu Jose Fonseca and Marina Dos Reis Palharares Fonseca and her sister Izabel.
Following the death of Bruna members of the Brazilian community organised a vigil at the Lough in Cork. She liked to go for walks in the picturesque area.
A 29-year-old Brazilian man was previously charged with the murder of Ms Fonseca who was found dead in a flat on Liberty Street in Cork on January 1st, 2023.
He first appeared before a special sitting of Cork District Court on January 2nd.
The charge read that on January 1st, 2023 at 5 Liberty Street he did murder one Bruna Fonseca contrary to common law.
The charge was translated for him by a Portuguese interpreter
