Man held then freed after the body of a teen is found in river

Police arrested then later released a 19-year-old man over the weekend after the body of a teenage boy was found in a river in Twinbrook in west Belfast.
By Philip Bradfield
Published 3rd Jan 2021, 18:21 BST
Updated 3rd Jan 2021, 22:58 BST
The teenager's body was found in a river in Twinbrook in west Belfast. Photo: Declan Roughan / Press Eye.The teenager's body was found in a river in Twinbrook in west Belfast. Photo: Declan Roughan / Press Eye.
The teenager's body was found in a river in Twinbrook in west Belfast. Photo: Declan Roughan / Press Eye.

The PSNI released a statement about the situation on Sunday morning.

Detective Inspector Miskelly said: “I can confirm that the body of a male teenager has been recovered from a river in Twinbrook, west Belfast during the early hours of today, Saturday 2nd January.

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 “A 19 year old male has been arrested as part of the investigation. There are no further details at present.”

West Belfast teenager Conor Kerr was decribed as "a dearly beloved son".West Belfast teenager Conor Kerr was decribed as "a dearly beloved son".
West Belfast teenager Conor Kerr was decribed as "a dearly beloved son".

 Police said that formal identification of the body had not been carried out at that time but that the family of missing teenager Conor Kerr from west Belfast had been informed.

West Belfast Sinn Fein MLA Orlaithi Flynn said: “The discovery of the body of a teenager in Twinbrook is a shock to the local community. A police investigation into the incident are underway and should be allowed to continue unhindered.”

By Sunday evening the PSNI reported that a post mortem had been completed and as a result the death is not being treated as suspicious. Police are now awaiting toxicology and further test results.

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The 19-year-old who was arrested on suspicion of ‘assault occasioning actual bodily harm’ as part of the wider investigation was released pending further enquiries.

On New Year’s Day the PSNI had issued an appeal about Conor, saying they were very concerned for the wellbeing of the 16-year-old. He was last seen at 8pm on the 31st in the Summerhill Road area of Belfast wearing Navy Adidas bottoms, navy Adidas jumper, grey coat, and a white cap.

A funeral notice said he died suddenly on January 2 and described him as the “dearly beloved son of Conor and Danielle and much loved brother of Caoimhe and Lee”.

Due to the current restrictions the house and funeral will be strictly private.