Jury finds possible culvert access issue in teen's drowning death

In Belfast Coroners’ Court, a jury reported that Noah, a 14-year-old pupil, died by drowning in an underground water tunnel after accessing it via a debris screen. The jury found no police failings that contributed to his death, as he was reported missing the following day. Nonetheless, they stated it was possible that the Department of Infrastructure’s omission of warning signs, due to not recognizing the culvert as publicly reachable, facilitated his entry.

The jury also identified thirteen investigative mistakes by police that hampered the inquest’s full understanding of the case. Noah had left home on his bike, was captured on CCTV cycling naked, and later disappeared. The coroner’s hearing lasted 32 hours before the verdict was read.