Noah Donohoe: Mental Health Experts Unravel Mystery

Four mental health experts have presented findings at the inquest into the death of Noah Donohoe, whose body was discovered in a north Belfast water tunnel in 2020. The experts agreed that Noah was not suffering from an acute mental illness prior to his disappearance on June 21, 2020. They also concluded he was not planning to take his own life, nor was his disappearance consistent with drugs, hallucinations, or delusional beliefs.

However, the experts highlighted a sudden and unexplained change in Noah's emotional state in the days before he went missing. While acknowledging these mood shifts, they found no clear mental disorder or symptoms reaching the threshold for a diagnosis. One expert noted the unusual nature of Noah leaving his home in the early hours of the morning, a detail she felt was somewhat overlooked.

The joint report excluded head injury, psychosis, illegal substances, or other mental disorders as contributory factors. The case was described as a "puzzling, bizarre event." The experts also found insufficient evidence to link any difficulties experienced by Noah's mother to his mental health. Information regarding Noah's paternal family's mental health history was also absent.