14-year-old found dead in storm drain

Noah Donohoe went missing in June 2020 after leaving his home in south Belfast on his bike. His body was found six days later in an underground water tunnel in north Belfast.

Inquest concludes after months of evidence

The lengthy inquest heard from 76 witnesses and 42 additional statements. The jury deliberated for 32 hours before reaching their findings in September 2026.

Storm drain was unsecured and accessible

The jury found that the Department for Infrastructure failed to identify the culvert entrance as a public access point. It was only covered by a debris screen, allowing Noah to enter.

“As a consequence, Noah was able to access the culvert via the debris screen.”

Infrastructure failure possibly contributed to death

While the jury found it was not probable that the Department for Infrastructure's failings caused Noah's death, they agreed it was possible. No warning signs were erected at the location.

Police failings did not contribute to death

The jury unanimously found that Noah died before he was reported missing, so police errors or inaction did not contribute to his death. However, they identified 13 subsequent investigative failures.

CCTV footage mishandled by police

Police failed to secure some CCTV footage and failed to view other footage at the time. These errors impacted the ability to understand Noah's movements and behaviour.

House-to-house search was poorly executed

The jury found the overall house-to-house search strategy was poorly executed, managed and recorded. Some statements were not taken within a reasonable timeframe.

Phone data misinterpreted by investigators

Police misinterpreted phone location data and failed to identify the potential relevance of a photo of an unknown handprint captured on Noah's phone around the time of his disappearance.

Delays in searching the culvert

There were delays in searching the culvert as a potential location for Noah. The jury also found uncertainty around anonymous call evidence presented to the inquest.

Missing Department for Infrastructure records

The jury found that some Department for Infrastructure records relevant to the circumstances of the case were absent, further limiting what could be determined.

Insufficient evidence to explain Noah's behaviour

The jury found there was insufficient evidence to explain Noah's behaviour after he left his house at 5:40 p.m. on June 21. They determined he died in the culvert between 7 p.m. and midnight that night.

Cause of death was drowning

A post-mortem examination concluded that Noah's cause of death was drowning. However, the circumstances surrounding how he ended up in the culvert remain unclear.

Mother says Noah was failed by institutions

Fiona Donohoe said Noah was failed by the Department for Infrastructure for leaving the drain unsecured and by police for failing to investigate properly and stopping their search after he was found.

“He was failed by the Department for Infrastructure, who left a deadly storm drain unsecured and accessible to children.”

Mother criticises institutional defensiveness

Ms Donohoe said the inquest exposed a culture of institutional defensiveness coupled with a reckless disinterest in investigating what happened. She questioned why answers were 'I don't know' and 'I can't recall'.

“It's easy to say you don't know when you failed to find out.”

Infrastructure Minister accepts findings

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said she unreservedly accepted the findings and pledged to ensure the department learns all lessons from the case.

Police acknowledge tragedy but defend efforts

Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck said officers were determined in their efforts to locate Noah and that there was no action police could have taken that would have prevented his death.

Inquest adjourned, not formally closed

Coroner Mr Justice Rooney did not formally close the inquest. He adjourned it instead, saying there were still outstanding matters to deal with at a later date.

Jury excused from service for life

After delivering their findings, the coroner thanked the jury of seven men and two women for their time, dedication and commitment, and excused them from jury service for the rest of their lives.