Death of teenager a ‘tragic accident’, says coroner – The Irish News

A coroner has concluded that the death of a teenager who was struck and killed as she exited an ambulance on a country road was a “tragic accident”.

Shannon McQuilan (19), from Dunloy, County Antrim, died after she was hit by a van on the Moneynick Road near Toome in January 2018, shortly after leaving the back of an ambulance that was taking her to hospital following a fall near a nightclub in Magherafelt, County Derry.

Her boyfriend Owen McFerran (21) from Ballymoney was fighting for his life after the accident in the early hours of the morning on the old main road from Derry to Belfast.

Coroner Joe McCrisken spent several days earlier this month listening to evidence from PSNI officers, emergency services staff and medical experts.

During the hearing on Friday, Mr McCrisken said he was “entirely convinced” that Ms McQuillan and Mr McFerran wanted to leave the ambulance and did so “of their own volition”.

“They were not removed by any police officer,” he added.

During the investigation, it emerged that two off-duty officers did not stop but instead called 999 after seeing Ms McQuillan standing in the middle of the road after exiting the ambulance.

Mr McCrisken said he had “absolutely no objection to the actions of these two officers, which were reasonable and sensible in all the circumstances”.

In his ruling, the judge referred to Ms McQuillan’s mental health history, previous instances of self-harm and a report of a suicide attempt.

“I do not conclude that this was a suicide. Her death is recorded as a tragic accident which also caused life-changing injuries to Mr McFerran,” Mr McCrisken added.

Attorney Barry O’Donnell of KRW LAW said he would advise the McQuillan family on the findings.