Police Ombudsman probe into PSNI handling of NI woman’s canal death

The Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland has started an investigation into the PSNI ’s handling of the death of a young woman in her 20s in Monaghan earlier this year.

The body of Kelly Lynch, 23, was found on the morning of Sunday March 17 in the Ulster Canal in Monaghan and her family say they are still waiting for answers about what happened to her.

An investigation was begun by Garda Siochana Ombudsman Commission earlier this year after a complaint was received about the Gardai’s handling of the investigation.

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It has now emerged that a separate complaint has been made to the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland in relation to Kelly’s death.

It’s understood the complaint was submitted to the Ombudsman's office last week and relates to an alleged failure of the PSNI to inform Kelly’s family of her death in person.

The Lynch family hail from Co Fermanagh but are now based in Co Armagh, while Kelly had been visiting friends in Monaghan at the time of her disappearance and death.

A spokesperson for the Police Ombudsman for Northern Ireland confirmed it had received a complaint in relation to Kelly’s death and that an investigation was now underway.

A statement from the PSNI said that it would be ‘inappropriate’ for it to comment due to the ongoing Ombudsman investigation.

Almost three months after her daughter’s death, Kelly’s mum Julieanne says her family are still waiting for answers about what happened to Kelly and have raised concerns about the Garda investigation.

The investigation into Kelly’s death is now currently the subject of a Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission investigation, while preparation of an Inquest file is ongoing.

The family say they last saw Kelly on Wednesday 13 March and that she had gone for a night out in Monaghan on Friday 15 March. Statements given to An Garda Síochána say that Kelly had been missing from the early hours of Saturday morning, with her body discovered more than 24 hours later at around 8.30am on Sunday 17 March.

A post-mortem carried out by the State Pathologist found that the cause of Kelly’s death was drowning, but her family say that she had suffered other injuries, including broken ribs.

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