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Search Advisor: 5% chance of victim in culvert
5 Mar
Summary
- Search advisor estimated only a 5% chance Noah Donohoe was in the culvert.
- Noah's body was found in a storm drain tunnel six days after he disappeared.
- Inquest heard of potential failures in the search operation for the teen.
An inquest into the death of Noah Donohoe heard from a police search adviser who estimated only a 5% probability that the 14-year-old was in the culvert where his body was eventually discovered. The adviser, Sergeant Hastings, stated there was initially no evidence to suggest Noah had entered the underground water tunnel.
Hastings resumed duty two days after Noah was last seen and focused the search on areas where the boy was more likely to be. He admitted the culvert was not an immediate priority, with only a low percentage chance assigned to Noah being present there. Concerns about Noah's behaviour and reports of screams in the area were also discussed.
The investigation into Noah's death, which occurred in June 2020, is examining 10 possible search failures. These include allegations of not prioritizing the culvert, delays in obtaining hazard information, and not treating the operation as a rescue mission. Sergeant Hastings maintained that nothing could have been done differently to find Noah sooner.
