The Baffling Disappearance of Noah Donohoe: Unraveling the Mystery

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[00:01:31] See you there! The case featured in this episode has been researched using police records, court documents, witness statements, and the news. Listener discretion is advised. All parties mentioned are innocent until proven guilty, and all opinions are my own.

[00:01:48] Hey everyone, my name is Nikki Young, and this is Serial Napper, the true crime podcast for naps.

[00:02:15] I'm back with another true crime story to lull you to sleep, or perhaps to give you nightmares. On June 21st, 2020, 14-year-old Noah Donahoe vanished from the streets of Belfast in Northern Ireland, setting off a tragic mystery that would grip the nation for years to come. His disappearance wasn't even the most puzzling part.

[00:02:37] After telling his mom that he was going to be meeting up with some friends that day, surveillance footage captured Noah riding his bike down a residential street, naked. What followed was a desperate, widespread search as volunteers, police, and the local community combed through the city for days. Six agonizing days later, Noah's body was found in a storm drain in North Belfast.

[00:03:05] His death, unexpected, unexplained, and haunting, has raised more questions than answers. What led to that strange moment biking naked down the street? And how did he end up alone so far from home in a place no one could have predicted? An ongoing inquest has thrown up many theories and fueled public speculation.

[00:03:31] Noah's family, devastated and searching for clarity, has demanded transparency. As they navigate the complex investigation, they hold on to one simple hope, justice for Noah. So, dim the lights, put your phone down, and listen to the heartbreaking story of Noah Donahoe, the baffling circumstances, the unanswered questions, and the enduring search for the truth behind Noah's tragic death.

[00:04:00] So let's jump right in. Noah Peter Donahoe was born on November 25, 2005, to his devoted mother, Fiona, who worked as a healthcare assistant. Raised by a single parent in Belfast, the bond between them was nothing short of extraordinary. Noah lived a happy life with his mom, filled with so much love.

[00:04:24] To Fiona, Noah was her whole world, which makes what happened to the young teen all the more heartbreaking. Fiona would say, I have been so blessed. Noah was a beautiful soul with a beautiful mind. He poured a whole lifetime of love into my life in just 14 short years. Noah's father, Emmanuel, originated from Senegal but lived in Boston.

[00:04:50] His relationship with Fiona, Noah's mother, had been brief, one that began during Fiona's visit to Boston before she returned to Northern Ireland, and Emmanuel stayed behind in the U.S. As a result, Noah never had the chance to actually meet his father in person. Though they were separated by thousands of miles, Noah and Emmanuel kept in touch through Skype and phone calls over the years.

[00:05:17] Just two years before the tragic events of Noah's life, Emmanuel faced his own nightmare. He was the victim of a brutal shooting in downtown Boston, an experience that left him fighting for his life. Despite the horrors he endured, Emmanuel remained a father to Noah in spirit, even if their paths never crossed in person. Emmanuel would later say that Noah was still incredibly proud of the son that he never met.

[00:05:47] Noah was not your typical 14-year-old boy. He was interested in philosophy, and he spent his time teaching himself Japanese. He had a natural talent for basketball, and proudly played for the Belfast Phoenix team. But his talents didn't end there. As a student at St. Malachi's College, Noah quickly became a standout. In just three years, he earned countless awards and accolades,

[00:06:15] including the prestigious Spirit of the College Award, perfect attendance, class prizes, and success in the UK Maths Challenge. Beyond academics and athletics, Noah was involved in the school's music department, where he contributed as a talented cellist. While his mom said that he wasn't the best singer, he still decided to join the school choir. He balanced this with his love for both basketball and rugby,

[00:06:44] excelling in just about every aspect of school life. Those who knew him best described him as the perfect gentleman, someone who could embody both kindness and a fierce competitive drive, whether on the court or off. Noah Donahoe was bright, driven, and full of promise. A straight-A student with a passion for learning, he had set his sights on becoming a doctor, with plans to attend the prestigious Trinity College in Dublin. To those around him,

[00:07:14] he seemed like the epitome of a young man with a bright future ahead. But in the days leading up to his disappearance, something kind of shifted. Reports say that Noah, usually enthusiastic and upbeat, had been feeling a little bit blue. He canceled plans for a day out, telling his mom that he wanted some time alone to think. On June 16th, his mother Fiona confided in the school's pastoral team,

[00:07:43] expressing concern over Noah's mood. His usual spark seemed dimmed, and she worried that something wasn't quite right. Then, in the early hours of June 18th, Noah sent a text message to a friend. It was a cryptic message that said, Ask yourself, are you truly happy with the things in your life? It was a stark, unsettling question that left his friend wondering what was going on in Noah's mind. But by June 20th,

[00:08:12] things seemed to get better. A friend described him as being calmer, and it appeared that Noah was returning to his usual self. Noah was a well-rounded, grounded young man. He wasn't known for struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide, and he hadn't shown any signs of turning to drugs or alcohol. So, what happened on June 21st, 2020, that led him to a part of Belfast he had not typically visited? A place that would change everything.

[00:08:42] In the early morning hours of June 21st, 2020, 14-year-old Noah made a decision that would set the stage for a tragedy that would leave his family and the entire community searching for answers. At 3.30 a.m., while most of Belfast was still asleep, Noah quietly snuck out of his family home on Fitzroy Avenue. CCTV footage later captured him drenched in the pouring rain, wearing nothing but a t-shirt, shorts,

[00:09:12] and a pair of Spencer flip-flops. In one hand, he carried his headphones. He left briskly into the night, disappearing from view. Less than 40 minutes later, at 4.05 a.m., Noah reappears on the same cameras, soaked to the bone, and without his headphones or his flip-flops. So what had happened in that short time? Where had he gone? What's even more unsettling is that his mother, Fiona,

[00:09:41] was completely unaware that Noah had slipped out of the house while she slept. She had no reason to believe that he had left. There was only one key to the house, and all of the doors were notoriously squeaky. She thought it was impossible for him to get past her without her noticing. But Noah had somehow managed to do just that. This secret late-night excursion would only add another layer of confusion to the events of the day ahead.

[00:10:11] Because later that same day, at 5.45 p.m., Noah left his home once again, this time with his mother's knowledge. He was planning to meet friends at Cave Hill Country Park, just a couple of miles from his school, and he was going to be working on a project for the Duke of Edinburgh Ward. He knew his way to Cave Hill Country Park. It was a journey that Noah had made many times before, one that he was comfortable with and familiar with.

[00:10:39] But things took an eerie turn just minutes after he left the house. CCTV would become so important to piecing together what occurred. Without it, we may have never known. At 5.50 p.m., CCTV captured Noah cycling along Royal Avenue in the heart of Belfast's busy shopping district. This is where the strange and unsettling chain of events begins. By the time Noah reached the bottom of Royal Avenue,

[00:11:09] his rucksack was gone. No witnesses nor any CCTV footage could explain how or why Noah became separated from his bag. At 6 p.m., a driver reported seeing Noah fall off his bike at a busy junction. The driver stopped to help, but Noah quickly got back on his bike and rode off. What happened next is even stranger. Just 400 meters from where he fell, Noah reappears on CCTV,

[00:11:39] cycling down York Road. But within minutes, something very bizarre happens. By the time he reaches a residential neighborhood on Northwood Road, about three miles away from the park that he was supposed to be heading to, Noah was no longer wearing any clothes. His helmet, his t-shirt, his shorts, all gone. He was completely naked. The moment Noah sheds his clothes isn't caught on any cameras, nor is it seen by any witnesses, so we don't really know what happened there.

[00:12:09] His sudden nakedness is first observed by two residents who watch in disbelief as Noah cycles down the street, completely exposed, into a cul-de-sac in the quiet housing estate. At 6.03 p.m., just three minutes after he fell off his bike, Noah's last known moments were captured once again by CCTV. He's seen there walking naked towards a gate that led to a park and ultimately a storm drain.

[00:12:38] One of the most bizarre aspects of this case is just how quickly it all happened. In a span of mere minutes, Noah went from riding his bike, seemingly fine, to naked and walking down a street in a part of the city that he wasn't known to visit. And Noah would never be seen alive again. What happened in those few minutes between falling off of his bike and walking into the unknown? These questions,

[00:13:08] along with the missing rucksack and the unexplained disappearance of his clothes, only add to the mystery of Noah's final moments. Meanwhile, Noah's mom, Fiona, patiently waited for a phone call from her son. He had promised to call once he arrived at the park and judging by the time he left and the distance at the park, that meant that he should have been calling around 6.30 p.m. That call would never come. Fiona waited until that evening,

[00:13:37] hoping that her boy would walk through the door anytime now. Then she decided that it was probably time to call the police and report Noah as missing, which happened around 9.30 p.m. The search for Noah Donahoe began immediately, with authorities scrambling to piece together the bizarre chain of events that had unfolded earlier that day. Then came a tip, a breakthrough. A resident who lived in the cul-de-sac where Noah had been seen walking naked came forward

[00:14:06] with crucial information. She had found Noah's mountain bike. It was lying at the bottom of her driveway. With this new lead, police shifted their focus to the area behind the house, and as their search intensified, more discoveries followed. They found Noah's phone near the route that he had been cycling, and residents reported finding his helmet, hoodie, and shoes scattered all along the streets, abandoned in strange locations.

[00:14:35] But then there was the strangeness of what wasn't found, Noah's underwear, his t-shirt, and his shorts, which had simply vanished without a trace. As the search continued, more witnesses came forward with startling accounts of what they had witnessed that day, including seeing Noah fall off of his bike at that intersection, and then him riding down the road completely naked. These reports provided investigators with a timeline and a clearer picture of the disturbing events.

[00:15:05] Police began pulling security footage from the area, trying to piece together the puzzle of Noah's last known movements. With this newfound evidence, authorities called a press conference. Initially, they suggested that Noah may have suffered from a head injury during that bike fall, leading to disorientation and confusion. They speculated that in his disoriented state, he may have stripped off his clothing. It's an interesting theory.

[00:15:34] And then there was another lead. It's time for a quick break and a word from tonight's sponsors. Hang on, I'll be back before you know it. Are you feeling off-balance thanks to hormonal changes? You are not alone. Hormonal disruptions are happening all around us. Actually, there are over 1,000 hormone disruptors hiding in our food, water, air, clothes, and even skincare products.

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[00:17:32] after Noah's disappearance, Daryl Paul, a career criminal with a long rap sheet over 194 prior arrests, he walked into a local pawn shop. In his possession were Noah's backpack, laptop, and his books. The pawn shop, immediately suspicious, refused to buy the items and contacted the police. By this time, the story of the missing teenager was making waves all around the community. Paul claimed that he had found the backpack

[00:18:02] propped up against a building on the Ulster University campus. Surveillance footage later confirmed that Paul's account was at least in part true. He had indeed been in the area, but this story didn't explain how Noah's belongings had ended up in his hands. Paul was quickly arrested on charges of theft and attempting to sell stolen goods. The discovery of Noah's belongings in the hands of a known criminal, it added another layer of mystery to the already

[00:18:31] baffling case. However, it wouldn't be much longer until at least some questions were answered. Six days after Noah was last seen, his body would be discovered in a local storm drain in Seaview Park, about half a mile away from where he had abandoned his bike. He was found around 600 meters from the entrance. Now, typically, storm drains would be locked for the protection of the general public, but it's believed that a worker

[00:19:00] had mistakenly left this particular culvert unlocked when it was inspected about a week earlier. An autopsy revealed that Noah's cause of death was drowning. There were no signs of a struggle and his toxicology report came back clean, meaning his erratic behavior, it wasn't as a result of him being on drugs or alcohol. The idea that he had fallen off of his bike and then had become disoriented, as police suspected, it also didn't really hold up

[00:19:30] against the autopsy result. There weren't any signs of head trauma or a traumatic brain injury noted. An exact time of death couldn't be determined because he had been left in the storm drain for so long, but it was believed that Noah had died within hours after his last known sighting. Oddly enough, there were very few signs of water damage to his body. This news was devastating to the community and many people wondered why Noah was in

[00:20:00] this particular area of Belfast to begin with and how his body ended up found in a narrow storm drain. Rumors began to swirl that perhaps something sinister had happened to him. Just a few weeks before Noah's disappearance and death, another young boy, 15-year-old Flynn McGuire, who had attended the same school as Noah, he was attacked while riding his bicycle by a mob of teens around the same area that Noah was last seen in. Many wondered

[00:20:30] if the two situations might be connected. Was Noah perhaps run down and then killed by a mob of teens? The rumors that Noah had been met by foul play, they were fueled even further when a 26-year-old man from Northern Belfast named Jamie Shaw posted a disgusting video on Snapchat stating that he had buried Noah's body along with the bodies of others. Police, of course, investigated these claims and confirmed that they were unfounded,

[00:21:00] charging the deranged man with improper use of an electronic communication network. Investigators also looked at Noah's phone activity and his social media. This is when they discovered that Noah had a strong interest in Jordan Peterson, who is a highly controversial person. If you don't know who that is, he's a Canadian psychologist and kind of this internet personality who I would describe as far right. Noah had been following

[00:21:29] Jordan Peterson online for some time and he even had his book in his rucksack the day that he went missing. Now, in the days leading up to Noah's death, Noah had sent him several Instagram messages, though the content of these messages has never been released. Actually, the very last message ever sent by Noah was to Jordan Peterson's verified Instagram account. Some believe that they may be the key to learning more about Noah's state of mind at the time,

[00:21:58] but they may very well mean nothing at all. Despite the speculation, authorities were convinced that whatever happened to Noah, no one else was involved or responsible. At a press conference, they would say, quote, it is disappointing that I again need to comment about people circulating a number of rumors about Noah's disappearance, which are completely without foundation. An investigation into the circumstances of Noah's disappearance is still continuing, but there is no evidence

[00:22:27] to suggest foul play. Now, Noah's bizarre and traumatic death, it absolutely devastated his mother, who felt like she had lost her soulmate. Even worse, Fiona felt like the police weren't really investigating what had actually happened to Noah. None of the events from that day made any sense, but authorities were quick to jump to the decision that no foul play was involved without actually determining what had happened to Noah.

[00:22:56] There is nothing normal or typical about a young teen ending up in the wrong neighborhood, stripping himself of all of his clothing, and then entering a storm drain that none of the residents who lived there even knew existed. So how did Noah know that this storm drain was there and that it was unlocked? And yet, the police didn't seem interested in finding out how or why this happened. Fiona applied for an inquest into Noah's death and it was granted in November 2022.

[00:23:27] It has been a long process that continues into 2025. To this day, there is more information being revealed that makes Noah's death all that much more confusing. A journalist by the name of Donald McIntyre has led a team of independent investigators to dig deeper into Noah's case. Their team was the one who discovered that Noah had snuck out in the early morning hours on the very day of his disappearance in the rain, returning without his headphones

[00:23:56] and his flip-flops. This detail had never been released by the police, even to Noah's own mother, Fiona. And in my opinion, it feels important. Finding out where he was going, what he was doing, and if he was meeting someone, it could be a key piece in learning what had happened to him later that evening. The team was also able to review a report by a psychiatrist that was written up for the coroner with their opinion on Noah's state of mind at the time that he went missing.

[00:24:26] The contents of the report were based on witness statements, testimony from friends and family, and forensic reports along with CCTV, medical records, and maps. According to this report, the psychiatrist believes that Noah may have died by suicide as a result of struggling with his sexuality. The evidence points to Noah's final day being consumed by an online search for biblical references and how to protect himself from the influence

[00:24:56] of Satan. I don't exactly know how a psychiatrist would determine all of this without actually ever speaking to Noah himself, but his mother absolutely denies that suicide could be a possibility, particularly being based on his confusion with his own sexuality. She would say, quote, Noah was brought up around same-sex relationships and couples, and so the idea that he would have struggled accepting whatever his sexuality was is inconceivable

[00:25:26] to me. To suggest that this would be a factor to trigger Noah to consider suicide shows the little understanding the expert had into who Noah was as a teenage boy. Noah had no issues of sexuality. That is never something Noah would have hidden, and he would never have felt shame in it as he was brought up to be proud of who he was and embrace everyone's individuality regardless of color, religion, and preference towards how they live their life

[00:25:55] as long as they don't harm another person by doing so. It was true that Noah had reported feeling a little bit blue in the days leading up to his death, but he didn't have a history of depression, mental illness, or suicidal ideation. So do with this information what you will. In October 2024, during an inquest review hearing, startling revelations came to light that could change everything. An expert

[00:26:24] had uncovered something chilling, a photograph, taken at exactly 6.50 on the evening that Noah vanished. The photograph, the expert revealed, appeared to show a palm or part of a hand. Not just any hand, but a hand that could potentially be holding Noah's phone. Brenda Campbell, KC, who represents Noah's mother, Fiona, made it clear this wasn't a typical photo. She described it as the kind of image

[00:26:54] that might unintentionally be captured by a phone that's being picked up or held by someone. But the timing, 6.50 p.m., this is crucial. That exact time marked the moment that Noah's phone was still active, just minutes after he had last been seen. If the image was indeed taken at 6.50 p.m., that means Noah's phone was in someone else's possession at the time that he was last heard from. And that raises a

[00:27:23] chilling possibility. The person who took the photo may know more than they're letting on, but was it Noah himself holding the phone or was it someone else entirely? Ms. Campbell would say, quote, based on what we know of Noah's movements and disappearance about 40 minutes previously in the area of Northwood Crescent, a strong inference would be that it wasn't Noah's hand. The inquest process has been ongoing for over the past four to five years and it

[00:27:53] is still continuing. In the aftermath of Noah Donahoe's tragic death, the grief and heartache that consumed his family, it's unimaginable. Well, I know my Noah is like now everybody's Noah and I'm I'll gratefully share everything about my Noah so that people can get to know him because he was such an amazing boy and these

[00:28:23] social media accounts, I don't know much about social media but it's a way for people to learn more about Noah because they've taken him into their hearts and Noah yeah, he wasn't perfect, he had socks lying on the ground it took him like it could have taken him ten hours to tie a shoelace if I didn't keep prodding him but and his

[00:28:52] humour he's just such a funny boy and it's just keeping making him even more real to hear me constantly and I just need people to see what time they invested in searching for him and wanting answers and oh gosh it's just it's it's a platform for Noah

[00:29:22] to sing out and he couldn't sing he was in the choir he was such an enthusiastic wee boy he had a note in his head but my god he really gave everything to life and that's why I want people to just give as much as they can to keep till we get answers it's all about getting the answers but it's one deeply personal detail

[00:29:52] a final act of love and protection by his mom Fiona that paints a haunting picture of the pain that she continues to endure Noah Donahoe a bright and kind hearted 14 year old had a terror that haunted him his entire life he was afraid of the dark and when Fiona his mother was faced with the unimaginable task of saying goodbye she made a heartbreaking decision utterly devastated by the loss of her son she couldn't

[00:30:21] bear the thought of Noah's body being placed in a pitch black casket left alone in the dark forever and so she chose cremation but that choice though born from a place of love it has left Fiona and the family with an irreversible consequence the decision to cremate Noah means that they will never be able to exhume his body should new theories or revelations emerge about his death they'll never be able to have the opportunity to

[00:30:51] seek forensic testing of his body in the ongoing mystery of Noah Donahoe's tragic death one voice rises above the noise his mother Fiona while speculation swirls and theories are debated Fiona's only plea is simple she just wants to know the truth about what happened to her child since the evening Noah disappeared Fiona has been consumed by questions by doubt

[00:31:21] and by a burning desire for clarity but despite the pain she has never wavered in her quest for the truth and yet as time passes troubling allegations have surfaced that raise even more questions it's been alleged that four witnesses who were nearby when Noah disappeared heard screams that night screams that could hold the key to unraveling what truly happened to Noah but according to these allegations the police

[00:31:51] have failed to investigate these for Fiona these oversights are not just frustrating they're devastating the long delayed inquest into Noah's death and the ongoing investigation offer a lifeline it is Fiona's hope her only hope that these proceedings will bring forward solid evidence something concrete something real that can cut through the noise and the confusion she hopes more than anything that it will

[00:32:21] help create a clearer picture of what happened to her son on that summer evening that's it for me tonight if you want to reach out you can find me on facebook at serial napper you can find my audio on apple or spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts i post all of my episodes in video format over on youtube so go check it out and if you're watching on youtube i would love if you can give me a thumbs up and subscribe i'm also on patreon if you'd like to get your

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