by Andrew Carey
andrew@limerickpost.ie
THE family of a 16-year-old girl who was found submerged at the canal entrance to the Abbey river have accused Gardaí of not fully investigating the circumstances leading up to her death
City coroner John McNamara had to call order to proceedings on a number of occasions when family members disrupted the inquest with questions and comments directed at gardai.
The 16 year old girl, who was described as “level headed” and in good form, was last seen by her sister shortly after 11pm on the night before her body was discovered in the water by a passerby.
Garda John O’Connell told the inquest there was no evidence that a minor assault on the girl earlier that night was linked to her death.
At this point, the girl’s sister and brother asked why no other depositions were given as they were key to the circumstances on the night and could answer questions the family had about the girl’s death.
The teenager was seen running from the High Street area of the city towards Denmark Street after her sister attempted to get her into a car to take her home.
The family claimed that she was in the company of others when she ran from her sister.
There were heated exchanges as family members told gardaí to tell the truth, claiming that they should have “further investigated” the circumstances and that there was a more sinister background to the girl’s death.
Medical evidence indicated toxic levels of alcohol along therapeutic levels of diazepam and alprazolam. According to the pathology report, death was due to drowning.
The coroner said that while he accepted that the girl did not have suicidal thoughts and there was no evidence of foul play, an open verdict would be the most appropriate one.
One of the girl’s sisters responded: “Ye just want to open and shut this case so that it goes away – the questions will never go away for us”.
Her mother said that “kids go to the canal for a drink, we all know that – they don’t go there to jump in the river. She was a happy girl and had the world in front of her. She didn’t know what she was doing but my daughter didn’t jump, I believe she was pushed.”
Asked by Mr McNamara if there were any other lines of inquiry both Inspector Seamus Ruane and Garda John O’Connell said that the investigation had concluded and there was no other evidence.
“Nobody saw her fall in. Nobody saw her jump in or nobody saw her being pushed so this inquest must return an open verdict”, the coroner said.
