A key detail in the tragic disappearance of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe has emerged at Belfast Coroner’s Court.
A woman walking in Castleton Park came across Noah’s phone the day after he went missing, just days before his body was found in a storm drain near the M2 motorway.
Adelaide Armstrong told the court she saw a black mobile phone lying in the grass on June 22, 2020.
“I checked and the phone was off, and I took it home to charge and see if I could contact the owner,” she said.
Attempts to Contact Noah
Once the phone powered on, Ms Armstrong noticed a message from the police urging Noah to get in touch.
She also attempted to call his mother, Fiona Donohoe, after noticing missed calls labeled “Mum.”
“I think I actually tried ringing that number first, and it just kept ringing out,” she told the court.
She later tried a second number, which belonged to the police.
Ms Armstrong recalled that the phone’s screen was broken and suspected it had been thrown into the park, as it was found near the park railings.
Police Response on the Evening of Disappearance
A constable from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) explained his response to Noah’s disappearance.
He attended the Donohoe home in south Belfast on June 21, 2020, after learning of the missing person investigation.
Speaking to the court, the officer said that Noah’s behaviour that day was “completely out of character” and noted that he would usually have been home well before 10pm.
The constable also confirmed Noah had no access to money or a vehicle beyond his bicycle, and that he had been very emotional earlier that day, according to his mother.
Neighbours Recall Sighting of Bike and Helmet
Residents near Northwood Road, close to where Noah was last seen, gave testimony this week.
One witness said he noticed a black bike lying on its side on the footpath the evening Noah disappeared.
The next day, he spotted a black helmet and alerted police after seeing social media posts about the missing boy. He did not see Noah himself.
Witnesses Describe Final Movements
The inquest has also heard from friends and other witnesses who saw Noah cycling on the day of his disappearance.
One witness recalled seeing him naked on Northwood Road, while another said they found his bike outside their home.
Inquest Continues
Noah’s mother, Fiona Donohoe, has been present at every day of the third week of proceedings, which continue to examine the events leading up to the teenager’s tragic death.
Authorities, witnesses, and family alike are piecing together the final movements of the young boy in Belfast, as the court seeks to understand the circumstances surrounding this heartbreaking case.
