The Herald has released a public apology to the family of the victim, readers, and the advertiser involved.

Readers of the Dublin tabloid were shocked yesterday to see an advertisement for wardrobe specials from discount company Bargaintown printed beside a news story about Joanne Lee's body being found in a wardrobe.

And the winner of the 2018 most inappropriate product placement in a newspaper goes to the @Herald_ie pic.twitter.com/85qJUgqNSQ

— Tony Groves (@Trickstersworld) February 19, 2018

Today's Evening Herald a bit insensitive with article on page 9 surrounding tragic death of Joanne Lee found dead in a wardrobe.. see the advert on same page ? pic.twitter.com/BYvjsfDFZu

— Dave Kenny (@davekenny1959) February 19, 2018

@Herald_ie absolutely shocking that it was cleared to print a wardrobe advert under Joanne Lees story! Whoever okay'd that should be made apologise to her entire family!

— Kristina Rogers (@missesgrundy89) February 19, 2018

The 38-year-old woman had been missing since February 5th. After relatives urged the gardai to search a house in Ranelagh, South Dublin, her body was found in a sleeping bag in a wardrobe. Her estranged husband (pictured with her below) is the lead suspect in the ongoing investigation.

After realizing their error, and the page went viral on Irish social media, the newspaper released a statement of apology: "In yesterday's Herald an unfortunate advertisement appeared beneath a story about the killing of Dublin woman Joanne Lee."

"This was a genuine mistake on our part in which the space is left vacant for a named advertisement and then the advert is placed at the end of the production process. This should of course be then checked to avoid any possible insensitivity or offence but this did not happen on this occasion, much to our regret.

"We would again apologise to the Lee family, some of whom contacted the paper, as well as our readers and the advertiser involved."