Mum ‘plagued’ by thoughts of daughter’s canal death as concerns raised over Garda investigation

The mum of a young NI woman has said she has been left ‘plagued’ with thoughts about her daughter’s final moments as she raised concerns about a Gardai investigation into her death.

The body of Kelly Lynch, 23, from Gilford in Co Armagh and with links to Lisnaskea, Co Fermanagh was recovered in the Ulster Canal in Monaghan town on St Patrick’s Day.

An Garda Siochana said on March 19 that a post-mortem investigation was carried out following the discovery of Kelly’s body, with the findings relayed to investigating Gardai, while the ‘focus of the investigation’ shifted towards compiling a file for the coroner.

READ MORE: Kelly Lynch: Tributes paid to 'bright light in all of our lives' after canal death

READ MORE: Body of woman from Northern Ireland discovered in Monaghan canal

No further update has been issued to the media since March 19 related to Kelly’s death.

Kelly’s mum Julieanne Lynch has said she has not received any further updates from Gardai since being informed of her daughter’s death on March 17, despite a number of pleas from the family for more information. Julieanne says the family have ‘very little information’ about what happened to Kelly.

Julieanne says her mind has been ‘plagued’ with thoughts about her daughter’s final moments.

“My mind is plagued with thoughts of Kelly's final moments, wondering if she knew she was dying, if she suffered or if there could have been anything done to save her,” Julieanne told Belfast Live.

“It's a never-ending cycle of self-torment. But no matter how many times I torture myself with 'what-ifs', I cannot change what has already been done.

“The loss of Kelly has shattered our entire family, leaving us all struggling to make sense of this tragedy.”

Julieanne says the family’s pain has been ‘indescribable’ in the month since her death, and that they are still waiting for answers as to what happened has made the grieving process more difficult.

The grieving mum says despite their pleas, no public appeals for information have been made by Gardai since March 18.

“The depths of sorrow are indescribable,” she says.

“Part of me is still stuck in the moment that call came, delivering the devastating news of her passing.

“Moving forward feels impossible, and while the world moves on around me, I feel trapped in a state of limbo. It's not a comforting place to be.

“We all know Kelly is gone, and we can never get her back. But without any answers about her death, it's hard to properly grieve.

“Some days, the tears won't come, instead I'm consumed by anger and helplessness. Other days, I can't seem to stop crying, no matter how hard I try to stick to a routine. The grief is overwhelming, both emotionally and physically.”

Speaking about her daughter, Julieanne described her as having a ‘heart of gold’ who is greatly missed by her siblings Kristopher, Matthew, Rory, Poppy and Finn.

“Kelly was a ray of sunshine in any room,” her heartbroken mum said.

“Her smile could light up the darkest corners and her presence brought joy to those around her. Kelly wasn’t just my daughter, she was my best friend.

“Family was everything to Kelly, and she shared a special bond with her siblings. While they may have bickered like most siblings do, their loyalty to each other never wavered.

“I am proud that we raised them in a home where love and emotion were openly expressed.

“Kelly’s father and I are determined to get answers and will not stop until the truth comes out.”

A statement from An Garda Síochána said an inquest filed is currently being prepared for the coroner and a family liaison officer has been appointed to the family, but made no further comment on the investigation into Kelly’s death.

The statement said: “In relation to the death of a woman in Monaghan town on the 17th March 2024, a post mortem was completed by the State Pathologist. As a result of the preliminary findings and consultation with the State Pathologist, the focus of this investigation moved towards the completion of an inquest file for the coroner.

“A Family Liaison Officer was appointed at the outset of this investigation and this information has been relayed to the family of the deceased.

“As the preparation of the Inquest file is ongoing, no further comment is available at this time.”

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