Police are probing the circumstances surrounding the tragic death of Noah Donohoe, a young student whose body was discovered in a drain in Belfast. An inquest revealed that authorities did not thoroughly follow up on reports of screams near the location where Noah’s body was found. Noah, a student at St Malachy’s College, was only 14 years old when he was found deceased on June 27, 2020, after leaving home on his bike to meet friends in Cavehill.

His body was found over 600 meters away from where he was last seen near a culvert inlet in Northwood Road, north Belfast, with drowning identified as the probable cause of death. Despite having a team of 25 detectives, police only obtained statements from four out of seven residents who reported hearing noises, including screams, between midnight and 3 am on June 22.

One couple reported hearing three screams at around 1:30 am but were approached by authorities 11 months later. Another resident who heard noises at their front door was never contacted by the police for a statement. Additionally, a caller mentioned her daughter hearing a scream near the culvert on June 21, but no statement was provided.

During the inquest, there were questions raised about the police’s handling of the case, with concerns about the limited number of statements obtained despite the resources available. The investigation team shifted to using notebooks and journals due to the inefficiency of their previous log system. Detective Chief Inspector McCallum explained that taking unverifiable statements from residents who heard screams was not a priority during the early stages of the investigation.

When pressed about the urgency of the case, DCI McCallum stated that once Noah’s body was found, the sense of urgency diminished. The search for Noah during his disappearance was described as critical.