Noah Donohoe: Scream Heard Before Belfast Disappearance

A woman told the Noah Donohoe inquest she heard a “high-pitched scream” on the night the schoolboy disappeared, while another witness reported being frightened by someone attempting to enter her home.

Noah Donohoe Inquest: Witnesses Detail Night of Disappearance

Noah was 14 years old when he was found dead in a storm drain in north Belfast in June 2020, six days after he left home on his bike to meet two friends in the Cavehill area of Belfast. A post-mortem examination determined his death was due to drowning. The inquest into his death is currently in its third week at Belfast Coroner’s Court, with Noah’s mother, Fiona Donohoe, in attendance each day.

Gemma McMullan, a resident of Northwood Parade, stated she was still reading after midnight on June 21, 2020, when she heard a scream. “Totally out of the blue, I heard a scream,” she told the court. She looked out her bathroom window, but saw no one. “My security lights had not come on, there were no noises at all, and it was pitch black,” she said, adding she believed the sound came from a young person or a female.

Sandra Semple, formerly of Premier Drive near where Noah’s body was discovered, testified that she was awakened at approximately 3 a.m. on June 22, 2020, by someone trying the handle of her back door. She said the person was “moving the handle up and down as if to open it.” Ms. Semple hid under the blankets until the following morning, fearing a break-in.

Heather Scott recounted how her son sent her a photograph of a blue hoodie and trainers found outside their property on Northwood Road, asking her to check his home. She found the items were still there and initially thought they might belong to someone who was intoxicated. She later moved the items to a derelict property. After hearing about Noah’s disappearance on the radio, she realized the clothes matched the description of those he was last seen wearing and contacted the police.

Residents of Northwood Road previously told the court about items they found. Chris Morrow reported seeing a black bike on its side on the footpath the evening Noah went missing. The following day, he discovered a black helmet on the street and alerted police after seeing a social media post about the missing boy. He did not see Noah in the area.

His wife, Lauren Morrow, stated she saw a black bike lying on its side while leaving her grandfather’s house around 7 p.m. on the night of Noah’s disappearance. Later, while walking her dog, she noticed a black skater helmet beside a lamppost, describing it as “brand new” and undamaged.

Lauren Russell, another resident, said she saw a navy jacket over a neighbor’s wall and a pair of dark trainers with a bright orange Nike tick on the ground. She stated the items appeared to have been deliberately placed there.

The inquest continues.