Devastated mum Fiona with her beautiful son Noah
The remains of the 14-year-old were found on Saturday morning around 9.45 am in a storm drain in north Belfast.
Noah was found six days after he disappeared in the area after falling off his bike and possibly hitting his head.
After his remains were found in a complex series of storm drains stretching for more than a kilometre in length, police said they didn’t believe there was any foul play involved in his tragic death.
Cousins heartbroken Darcie and Shaneane Donohoe both posted tributes on social media to their 14-year-old cousin.
“We love you forever Noah,” wrote heartbroken Shaneane while Darcie said: “Forever in our hearts.”
A vigil is due to take place in Fiona’s hometown of Strabane tonight, Sunday, June 28, at 6 pm at ‘the Tinnies’ sculptures.
There has been a huge outpouring of grief across the North of Ireland since police announced at lunchtime on Saturday that despite six days of intensive searches, the remains of Noah had been found in a storm drain on the Shore Road.
Noah with his cousins Darcie and Shaneane
A huge search operation had been mounted last week with hundreds of people helping police and specialist teams look for the youngster.
Noah left his home on the Ormeau Road in south Belfast at 5.30pm on Sunday and was seen on Ormeau Avenue, heading towards the city centre, 15 minutes later.
He was then seen on Royal Avenue and York Street before he was again spotted at 5.57pm on North Queen Street.
A few minutes later, a boy fitting Noah’s description was seen falling from a bike around a quarter of a mile further up the road.
A final sighting of Noah was at 6.11pm when he was seen heading in the direction of Northwood Linear Park, a densely wooded area.
One line of inquiry is believed to be that Noah – a year 10 pupil at St Malachy’s College in north Belfast – either entered the storm drain for shelter on the Sunday evening of his disappearance, or that he was concussed and confused following an earlier fall.
PSNI Superintendent Muir Clark said the specialist search teams deployed to search the drains found it “extremely challenging”.
Superintendent Clark added the location Noah was found is “very different” to where he entered and that they were “very confident” they knew his point of entry.
He said: “We did have access to the storm drain complex and it has been searched over the last number of days before we got to the end of the complex.
“It’s an extremely challenging environment in which to work and that is why it has taken the length of time to go through that complex.
“They were working in the pitch black and there was a lot of ground to cover.
“In my 30 years in the police, this is one of the most unusual missing person inquiries that I have dealt with.”
Superintendent Clarke also appealed to the public to refrain from posting rumours about the teenager online and insisted there was no indication of any foul play.
Body of Noah Donohoe found after six days of searches
“This type of commentary and rumour is distressing for Noah’s family and is extremely unhelpful.
“An investigation into the circumstances of Noah’s disappearance is still continuing but there is no evidence to suggest foul play.
“If people post distasteful and patently untrue rumours on social media, we will investigate that.”
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