Inquest into Noah Donohoe's Death Hears Eerie Testimony of Screams and Flash
The ongoing inquest into the tragic death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe has heard unsettling evidence from witnesses who reported hearing screams and seeing a mysterious white flash on the night the schoolboy disappeared in north Belfast.
Chilling Accounts from the Night of Disappearance
Noah Donohoe, a pupil at St Malachy's College, was just 14 years old when he was found deceased in a storm drain in June 2020, six days after he left his home on his bicycle to meet friends in the Cavehill area. A post-mortem examination concluded that the cause of death was drowning.
Now in its third week, the inquest with a jury has been attended daily by Noah's mother, Fiona Donohoe, as it seeks to uncover the circumstances surrounding his untimely passing.
Witnesses Describe Disturbing Sounds
Tanya Brown, a resident of Premier Drive in north Belfast near where Noah vanished, provided a witness statement read to Belfast Coroner's Court. She recounted being in bed around midnight on June 21, 2020, with her window open due to the warm weather.
"I heard what sounded like a scream, but it didn't sound as if it was close by, it sounded like it was some distance away. It sounded like a girl screaming," Ms Brown stated.
After waking her husband, Grant Brown, who was sleeping downstairs, the couple went into their back garden, where Ms Brown believed the scream originated. "We stood in the garden, and that's when I heard the second scream," she added, noting they remained outside for approximately five minutes before returning indoors.
Under questioning from Brenda Campbell KC, counsel for Fiona Donohoe, Ms Brown confirmed her police statement mentioned hearing at least two, and possibly three, screams. When asked if she had any doubt the sounds were human, she firmly replied, "No doubt," and suggested it could have been a young person or a girl.
Mysterious White Flash Reported
Grant Brown, in his testimony, supported his wife's account, stating she woke him and they went outside together. "That's when I heard the sound of a muffled scream. It sounded like a girl's scream, it didn't sound as if it was close by," he said.
Mr Brown added that after returning inside and falling back asleep on the sofa, he awoke around 3am to a "white flash like a torchlight flashed in my kitchen window." Donal Lunny, barrister for the PSNI, questioned whether this flash might have occurred on Monday night during the search for Noah rather than the Sunday, but Mr Brown expressed uncertainty.
Ms Campbell highlighted that the inquest had previously heard from a neighbour who reported being woken by someone attempting to open her back door around the same time Mr Brown saw the light, adding another layer to the night's events.
Police Evidence and Investigation Details
A detective constable who was on duty the day after Noah's disappearance gave evidence, revealing she sent a text message to Noah's phone to reassure him he was not in trouble as the search continued. Later, she accompanied another officer to take possession of the mobile phone after it was found by a member of the public in a north Belfast park.
She described answering a call from Fiona Donohoe on the phone, explaining, "I answered the phone as I had been speaking with Noah's mum, Fiona, throughout the day, and I thought it was best she immediately knew the phone was in police possession and explained the circumstances of it being located to her."
Discrepancies in Police Statements
Another constable involved in the search gave evidence for a second day, focusing on a statement he provided to the Coroner's Service in January 2021. In that statement, the officer recalled Fiona Donohoe describing Noah as "very weepy" and mentioning she had requested counselling for him through his school.
Ms Campbell pointed out that this detail was absent from his contemporaneous notes and the police log from the time Noah was missing. She argued that the constable's account was "materially different" from Ms Donohoe's evidence, including her 999 call and inquest statement.
The officer maintained that his statement was based on his recollection from the time. Ms Campbell further noted that the statement, requested "out of the blue" by a senior officer, also referenced Noah's interest in the book 12 Rules For Life by Jordan Peterson, a topic previously discussed in the inquest.
When asked if he was aware this book might become a focus in the investigation, the officer stated, "I specifically remember her speaking about that book," emphasising his memory from conversations with Ms Donohoe.
The inquest continues, with proceedings set to resume on Thursday as the jury delves deeper into the evidence surrounding Noah Donohoe's disappearance and death.
