'My son was failed' - Noah Donohoe inquest finds tunnel errors possibly contributed to death
An inquest jury found that failures by the Department of Infrastructure possibly contributed to the death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe in 2020. While the jury also identified failings in the police investigation, they concluded these did not directly cause the teenager's death.
Why it matters
The findings highlight systemic accountability issues within Northern Ireland's public infrastructure and law enforcement agencies.
Image source, Pacemaker Image caption, Noah Donohoe was found dead almost a week after he went missing in June 2020
The jury in the Noah Donohoe inquest has found it was possible, but not probable, that failings by the Department of Infrastructure (DfI) over the tunnel in which he was found dead contributed to his death.
The jury found that the DfI had failed to identify a hazard at the site , which it maintains, and that there was no warning sign.
They also found numerous failings in the Police Service of Northern Ireland's (PSNI's) investigation but that these did not contribute to the 14-year-old's death.
Noah's mother, Fiona Donohoe, said he had been failed by both the department and police while the family's solicitor said she had suffered "indignity after indignity".
Image source, PA Media Image caption, Fiona Donohoe, Noah's mum, outside Belfast Coroner's Court on Tuesday
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