The inquest into the death of 14-year-old Noah Donohoe has heard one of the most distressing pieces of evidence yet: his mother Fiona Donohoe’s recorded 999 call reporting him missing, coupled with her testimony that she found her son crying alone in his bedroom just hours before he left home and disappeared forever. The hearing at Laganside Courthouse in Belfast, resuming in January 2026, has brought into sharp focus Noah’s emotional state on June 25, 2020—the day he cycled away from the family apartment on Fitzroy Avenue and was never seen alive again.

Fiona Donohoe told the coroner’s court she became concerned that afternoon when Noah retreated to his room and shut the door. When she went to check on him, she discovered him crying. She spoke to him softly, trying to understand what was wrong, but he did not share the reason for his distress. Despite her worry, Noah later appeared calm enough to leave the house on his bicycle, telling her he was going to meet friends in the Cavehill area. He wore his cycling helmet and carried a backpack. Looking back, Fiona reflected that his mood felt subtly different—enough for her to later describe his departure as “out of character” in the broader context of what followed.

When Noah failed to return home that evening, Fiona’s concern quickly turned to panic. She contacted friends and family members before dialling 999. The inquest played the emergency call recording in which Fiona’s voice trembles as she provides Noah’s description, his intended route, and the fact that he had been upset earlier in the day. She repeatedly emphasised that her son was a “good boy” who always let her know where he was and never stayed out late without warning. The raw fear in her voice—pleading for help, asking if anyone had seen him—captured the moment a mother’s world began to fracture.

Friends who gave evidence described Noah as an exceptionally intelligent, sociable and humorous teenager. His closest friend, Charlie Rocks, called him “the nicest, friendliest, funniest person” and “the smartest kid, always asking questions.” Rocks said Noah knew everyone at St Malachy’s College and had been looking forward to life after lockdown. He noted Noah had become more eccentric during adolescence and the Covid restrictions, but nothing indicated serious mental health concerns. Noah had once admitted feeling “blue,” yet he had also started talking more openly about his emotions—an openness Rocks viewed as healthy. The two friends frequently discussed girls, shared book suggestions (Noah recommended Jordan Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life, which Rocks declined), and maintained a close, trusting bond. Rocks was unaware Noah sometimes stayed overnight alone at the Belfast apartment and confirmed Noah identified as straight based on their conversations.

CCTV footage presented to the jury shows Noah cycling through Belfast city centre and heading north. Motorist Donna Blain reported seeing him fall from his bike on North Queen Street; he looked embarrassed, glanced around, lifted the bike, left his coat behind, and continued riding. The final confirmed sighting—the most disturbing—shows Noah pedalling completely naked, an act witnesses and family members unanimously described as completely out of character. No explanation has been offered for why he removed all his clothing.

Noah’s body was discovered six days later inside a storm drain in the Duncairn Gardens area of north Belfast. The grim recovery intensified public anger over perceived shortcomings in the initial search, delays in releasing CCTV and other evidence, and questions about police procedure. Fiona Donohoe has led a relentless campaign for answers, founding The Noah Donohoe Foundation to promote better mental health resources for young people and stronger child protection measures.

The inquest continues to explore contributing factors. Fiona expressed concern about Noah’s mental health that day, highlighting that he had been crying alone in his room. No clear evidence of self-harm intent or substance use has emerged, yet the “out-of-character” behaviour—leaving his coat, cycling naked—remains unexplained. The coroner has repeatedly appealed for information about Noah’s movements, belongings or possible earlier outings that day.

Testimony has also placed Noah’s disappearance in the context of 2020 lockdown life. He and his friends spent much of their time indoors, communicating online and planning for the future with excitement. However, the isolation and pressures of adolescence may have weighed more heavily than he let on. Rocks insisted Noah never expressed interest in storm drains, tunnels or underground spaces; if he had, he would have talked about it openly during their frequent conversations.

The nine-man, two-woman jury must determine how Noah came by his death—whether by misadventure, accident or other means—while weighing the fragmented CCTV, the accessibility of the storm drain, witness accounts and investigative timelines. Proceedings are expected to continue into March 2026, with further expert testimony on the drainage system and additional witnesses still scheduled.

For Fiona Donohoe and the many who have supported her, the inquest represents a painful but necessary step toward understanding. Noah is remembered by those who knew him as bright, kind, endlessly curious and full of life—a boy whose final hours remain shrouded in questions that refuse to fade. The sound of a mother’s 999 call and the image of her son crying alone in his bedroom stand as two of the most devastating details to emerge, reminders of private anguish behind a tragedy that has shaken an entire community. As the inquest presses forward, the hope remains that truth—however difficult—will finally bring a measure of peace to those who loved Noah most.