Mother of Noah Donohoe ‘desperate’ for answers about death of schoolboy

The mother of schoolboy Noah Donohoe has said she is “desperate” for answers over the death of her son.

In an emotional witness statement played at the inquest into the death of the Belfast boy, Fiona Donohoe described the period between Noah’s disappearance and his body being discovered in June 2020 as a “living nightmare”.

She also said she believed a “blind eye” had been turned to evidence and added she had concerns over whether her son’s life could have been saved if police had taken the “right steps” in their investigation.

The long-awaited hearing into the death of Noah finally got under way at Laganside Courthouse on Thursday.

A jury of nine men and two women was selected at Belfast Coroner’s Court.

The opening statements and first evidence were then heard.

Noah was 14 when he was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020, six days after leaving home on his bike to meet two friends to travel to the Cavehill area of Belfast.

His mother, who has led a high-profile campaign for answers, was in the courtroom.

Describing the events on June 21 2020, the day Noah went missing, Ms Donohoe said in her witness statement that she “feared the worst” when he did not return home at the agreed time.

She said she became afraid when Noah did not answer his mobile when she tried to contact him. She said: “My instinct told me something wasn’t right.”

Ms Donohoe said a friend drove her to Cavehill, but she could not find her son.

She said: “My gut told me I should be worried.”

She said she called 999 and reported Noah missing to police at around 9.45pm.

Ms Donohoe added: “I can’t overstate how terrible the period between Noah going missing and his body being recovered on 27th of June was for me.

“I was in a state of constant fear and uncertainty, fearing the worst, but not knowing what had happened.

“I couldn’t sleep, and I was beyond distressed and was emotionally vulnerable. It was a living nightmare.”

Ms Donohoe was critical of a PSNI theory during the period of Noah’s disappearance that the schoolboy had suffered a concussion after suffering a head injury.

She said: “I have so many concerns about what occurred during the period Noah was missing, including whether all necessary steps were taken promptly, whether lines of inquiry were closed off.

“And worst of all, whether Noah could have been saved if the right steps had been taken.”

She added: “I’m holding out hope that this inquest is able to provide me with answers as to what happened to Noah.

“On CCTV footage, he is seen without his bag, then without his coat, and subsequently completely naked.

“This was entirely out of character for Noah.

“I’ve no explanation for this behaviour, and desperately need some answers or some sort of explanation.”

Ms Donohoe said she had “so many questions” about the PSNI investigation into Noah’s disappearance.

She said: “I feel like that a blind eye has been turned to the evidence that conflicted with the police theory about what happened to Noah.

“Noah deserved so much better.”

She added: “I have a duty to Noah to find out what happened to him and how he died, and understand whether his death could have been prevented.”

Ms Donohoe described her son as a “beautiful, happy and much-loved soul”.

She added: “I am tormented with the thought that any part of his legacy could be tainted by rumour and suspicion about who he was or what happened to him.

“Noah, with his genuine, fun-loving, kind and inquisitive nature and his joy for life, and his bright future ahead of him, should be at the heart of this inquest.”

Earlier, presiding coroner Mr Justice Rooney gave an outline of the case to the jurors, and said while they may have heard details previously, it is “absolutely imperative” they do not have a predetermined view of what happened.

He told the jury they must deliver their findings on the evidence “you see and hear in court”, and they “must ignore” publicity around the proceedings.

The coroner said the inquest would likely last until late March.

Counsel for the coroner, Peter Coll KC, then delivered his opening statement, telling the jury they would see CCTV footage which showed Noah cycling in north Belfast wearing no clothes on the evening he went missing.

The barrister said the jury would hear evidence that the bars on the storm drain were far enough apart for Noah to pass through.

He said Noah’s disappearance was “completely out of character”.

Mr Coll explained to the jury the scope of the proceedings and the evidence they would hear.

He said: “You will hear, see and read much more evidence about the circumstances of Noah’s death.”

He said the jury had the key role in finding the facts of how Noah had died.

A montage of photographs of the schoolboy was played to the court.

The jury was then played the recording of the 999 phone call Noah’s mother made to police on the evening he went missing on June 21 2020.

Ms Donohoe sat with her head bent, visibly upset, as the emergency call from the day her son went missing was played in court.

Supported by family members, she left the courtroom for a break during the playing of the call.

In the 999 call Ms Donohoe told police Noah had “not been himself” and she was concerned for his safety.

She said she had found him crying in his room earlier in the day.

She said: “I asked him why he was crying. He turned to me and said he was laughing.”

She said her son had never gone missing before.

She also said Noah had been “overprotective” and kept giving her hugs and telling her he loved her earlier in the day.

She said: “He has acted so out of character this week.

“He has been so up and down, his moods have been so out of character.”

She also said her son had the book  12 Rules For Life by the author Jordan Peterson and “he hasn’t taken it out of his hands”.