Noah Donohoe death: PSNI say reports that they had already leafleted area with appeals for information may be due to ‘misunderstanding’

Superintendent Muir Clark was speaking after a family spokewoman revealed that Noah was on his way to meet friends when he went missing, with post mortem results showing that he died by drowning.

The post mortem has not revealed any head injury and has not yet confirmed that he drowned in the storm drain where he was found.

The 14-year-old went missing on 21 June and his body was found in a storm drain in north Belfast six days later. Police do not believe his death was suspicious and think he may have become disoriented after falling off his bike and hitting his head.

The model student, who was widely praised for his academic, sporting and musical prowess, lived in south Belfast and it was initially a mystery as to why he had been in north Belfast.

However Andree Murphy of Troubles victims group Relatives for Justice (RFJ) has now confirmed that he had been travelling to Cave Hill to meet two friends in order to progress his Duke of Edinburgh award.

”There has been so much speculation,” she said. “Undoubtedly what is now in the public domain raises more questions but at least it will address some of the speculation that has been going around.”

The outstanding questions for Noah’s family remain the same, she told the News Letter.

“There are the two items that have never been recovered, Noah’s shorts and his coat. And the family don’t know his final movements.

“So other than knowing that he was seen in Northwood Drive in a state of undress, they really don’t know how he ended up there and how he ended up in a state of undress either. So they really are appealing for people to double check their CCTV.

“If people think they may have seen him, if something is just sitting uncomfortably with them to bring that forward and either give it to the police or ourselves in complete confidence. It is really to answer the questions how did Noah end up in the storm drain.

“One of the homes in Northwood Drive provided CCTV footage to the PSNI which shows Noah in a state of undress. But the family haven’t seen that only the PSNI have seen that, but other than that they don’t have anything else.”

The family are hoping that his mobile phone records may confirm his final movements.

Police have said that a witness reported seeing Noah fall off his bicycle and hit his head. They had been working on the theory that the impact to his head had disorientated him.

But Andree said the post mortem did not reveal any head injury. “No it doesn’t, which obviously prompts more questions.”

Asked if a concussion, for example, would show up in a post mortem, she replied: “Well what we do know is that it doesn’t show a serious head injury, we know that. We don’t have the full post mortem yet, we only have those two findings. That he died by drowning and that there wasn’t a serious head injury.”

Addressing the question of whether the water found his lungs was consistent with the water in the storm drain where he was found, she replied: “Well those findings take a little bit longer to come back so the family have not had those yet.” The tests would take into account such things as microbes in the water, she added.

Ms Murphy said the family’s appeals for information to be either brought to RFJ or the police did not imply they were unhappy with the police investigation.

“Well they are really working with the police in terms of the ongoing investigation and obviously they have a lot of questions for the investigating officers and are going to be meeting them soon.

“So I definitely wouldn’t say they are unhappy, but it is like any sort of collaboration, there has to be a dynamic collaboration and they are going to be meeting them soon about the ongoing investigation.”

She added: “We are trying to do this in a complimentary way so that people have multiple avenues for bringing information forward because we know that not everyone might go to the police.”She is certain that they know now why he went to north Belfast from his home in the south of the city.”

There is no doubt he left to meet two friends on Cave Hill. “It related to his work for a Duke of Edinburgh Award,” she added.

There has been much speculation on social media about the highly unusual circumstances of his death.

”The speculation and rumour that whirl around just doesn’t help. So that is why you have to ask questions based on facts and that allows the family to build a picture of what actually happened. Because nobody knows what actually happened to him.”

Asked if she felt the post mortem results had helped show any more clearly what happened to Noah, she replied: “No. It certainly hasn’t... The big question is around the circumstances in which he found himself in the storm drain. That is absolutely not clear and that is why they are putting such a heavy emphasis on the journey of his clothes and the CCTV.”

The News Letter put it to her that CCTV footage from a home in Northwood Drive, close to the storm drain where he was found, reportedly showed him making his way through a garden in a state of undress in the direction of the storm drain. But she said the family did not have such information.

”All they know is that it shows him clearly walking in a state of undress. They do not have that it shows him journeying towards a Storm Drain.”

She confirmed that his bike had been found close by.

Further post mortem tests may confirm that he actually drowned in the storm drain, she said. “That is yet to be confirmed. It certainly points that way, yes.”

Asked if she felt Noah’s death was suspicious, she replied: “Noah’s disappearance and death are hugely traumatic as the circumstances are entirely unexplained. However no one should engage in conspiracy theories or speculation. The family need information and facts in order to piece together what happened to Noah. The family remain ever grateful for the outpouring of help and support they continue to receive.”

Large numbers of people from across the community in North Belfast turned out to help in the six day search for Noah, as well as attending a vigil the day after he was found. 

She added: “I would like to put on record how grateful the family are to the community in the Shore Road. They have nothing but love for that community’s genuine support.” 

Superintendent Muir Clark said: “First and foremost my thoughts and those of my officers go out to Noah’s mother, Fiona, and the wider family circle at this extremely difficult time.

“Police continue to investigate the tragic death of Noah on behalf of The Coroner. As is normal practice The Coroner is the only person who can authorise the release of information in relation to the circumstances surrounding Noah’s death.

“To support the current stage of the inquiry, Police are finalising a leaflet appealing for information, which we will distribute to households where the occupants were unavailable to speak to police during the initial stages when Noah disappeared. We anticipate doing this in the following days.

“We are aware of media reports stating that the family had been told this proposed leaflet drop had already been undertaken. This is not the case. This may have arisen through a misunderstanding. Family Liaison Officers are continuing to work closely with the family and The Coroner.

“While respecting that this is a very painful time, Police are in contact with Noah’s mother to ensure that she is up to date on the investigation.”

A message from the Editor:

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our advertisers - and consequently the revenue we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you taking out a digital subscription.

Subscribe to newsletter.co.uk and enjoy unlimited access to the best Northern Ireland and UK news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Visit https://www.newsletter.co.uk/subscriptions now to sign up.

Our journalism costs money and we rely on advertising, print and digital revenues to help to support them. By supporting us, we are able to support you in providing trusted, fact-checked content for this website.

Alistair Bushe

Editor