Ombudsman to look at death of woman waiting for ambulance

The PSNI has advised Marie Anderson about the matter because officers were with Jody Keenan shortly before she died.

Ms Keenan was a classroom assistant who had worked at St Paul’s High School in Bessbrook for 10 years.

She died in the early hours of Sunday after collapsing in the Trevor Hill area of Newry, Co Down.

The ambulance service received an emergency call at approximately 3.15am but the only two available crews in the Southern division area were at Craigavon Hospital handing over patients.

Instead, an ambulance was sent from Belfast, 38 miles away. A second ambulance was then sent from Banbridge.

PSNI officers with a defibrillator were first to arrive on the scene at 3.52am but Ms Keenan died despite attempts to resuscitate her.

Newry, Mourne and Down PSNI district commander Superintendent Norman Haslett said: “The Office of the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland (OPONI) has been advised about this incident and are currently assessing the matter, given police were with Jody shortly before her death.

“We are currently assisting OPONI with their assessment and our thoughts remain firmly at this time with Jody’s family, friends, colleagues and all those affected by this tragic incident.

“Whilst the police ombudsman conducts her assessment no further comment will be made.”

The Northern Ireland Ambulance Service (NIAS) said a serious incident review will be carried out.

A NIAS statement said: “NIAS exists to help people when they need and when our help falls short, we all feel it very personally and deeply.

“However we recognise that does not compare to the loss being felt by those closest to the patient.”

Jarlath Burns, principal at St Paul’s said that Ms Keenan was the “kindest, most beautiful person you could ever meet”.

He told the BBC’s ‘Good Morning Ulster’ programme yesterday morning: “She was loved by staff and pupils and parents alike.

“She was always committed to making a difference to children who had experienced barriers to learning.

“She went way beyond the call of duty.”

He told the programme Ms Keenan had experienced health complications in recent years.

He said that last May she had a tumour removed from her spine and she also suffered from hydrocephalus – a build-up of fluid on the brain.

Ms Keenan’s funeral is due to take place today in Newry.

She is survived by her parents Seamus and Ursula and her brothers Darren, Keith and Jamie.