More than six years after 14-year-old Noah Donohoe was discovered dead in an underground water tunnel in Belfast, an inquest jury has delivered a verdict. The jury found that failings by the Department of Infrastructure concerning the tunnel were possibly, but not probably, contributing factors to his death. Additionally, they identified 13 failings by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), though these were determined not to have contributed to the teenager's death.
The verdict follows months of exhaustive hearings and deliberations, yet many questions surrounding Noah's disappearance and death remain unanswered.
Noah was last seen on Sunday, June 21, 2020, having left his South Belfast home. Earlier that night, he had left his home barefoot at approximately 5:34 p.m. to meet friends, cycling towards North Belfast. He was scheduled to meet school friends Charlie Rocks and Jay Tierney at Cave Hill. However, Noah did not receive a message from one of his friends canceling the plans due to poor weather, as he had no internet credit on his phone. He never reached Cave Hill.
His journey ended in a residential cul-de-sac on Northwood Road, where eyewitnesses reported seeing him naked. Questions persist about why he was naked and how he lost his possessions, including his phone, rucksack, laptop, school materials, and a copy of Jordan Peterson's "12 Rules for Life: An Antidote to Chaos," which he was reportedly engrossed in. Some of his clothing was later found near where he was last seen, close to an entrance of the underground water system.
Noah's mother, Fiona Donohoe, reported him missing hours after he left home, initiating a major search. In a distress call to the police, she expressed concerns about Noah's mental health, noting he had not been himself in the week prior and had been found crying in his bedroom earlier that day. She speculated that the isolation of the COVID-19 lockdown might have been a contributing factor.
An autopsy determined that Noah died from drowning. The tunnel where his body was found leads towards Belfast Lough and its tides. The jury's findings acknowledge possible failings by the Department of Infrastructure regarding the tunnel's condition, though the connection to Noah's death was deemed not probable. The identified PSNI failings did not contribute to his death.
Despite the inquest's conclusion, the circumstances of Noah's departure from home in the middle of the night, his subsequent journey, and his state when last seen remain subjects of speculation and unanswered questions. The jury's deliberations were lengthy, including an adjournment after initial discussions failed to produce a verdict, indicating the complexity of the evidence presented.
The case has been a significant news story, highlighting the profound grief of Noah's mother and the enduring mystery surrounding the final hours of a bright and intelligent teenager who loved learning.