Gardaí investigating the road crash that claimed the lives of two 14 year olds and left two of their friends seriously injured are hopeful an examination of phones found at the scene in Headford, Co Galway, can help shed light on the cause of the crash.
Sources said if any video content was created or messages sent via apps just before the crash, they may shed light on events inside the vehicle in the moments before the fatal incident.
The 13-year-old boy and 14-year-old girl who survived the crash were also expected to be spoken to by specialist Garda interviewers when their condition allows. Detectives believe they will have vital information to share about the crash at Glennagarraun in the Ballyfruit area of Headford. While the injured boy’s condition has improved in hospital, the girl’s injuries are much more serious.
[ Funeral of teenage victim of Galway road crash to take place on FridayOpens in new window ]
Orla Jackson, the acting principal of Presentation College Headford which the deceased children – Lukas Joyce (14) and Kirsty Bohan (14) – attended, strongly criticised “conjecture” about the crash on social media. She said “downright lies” had been written by some social media users.
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Garda sources echoed those concerns, saying speculation the children were involved in a social media-based dare on Monday morning when the crash occurred was unhelpful. They added their investigation was still in its early stages. However, they believed an analysis of the phones, especially any messages sent or posts made, may offer insight into the circumstances of the crash.
The vehicle the four teenagers were in has also been taken away for examination while the crash scene, where the car hit a tree by the roadside at about 5.45am, has also been examined. Gardaí were also investigating how they gained access to the car.
The Garda inquiry into the double-fatality crash was continuing as funeral details for Kirsty and Lukas were confirmed.
On Friday, Kirsty, from Ballyfruit, close to where the single-vehicle incident occurred, will be laid to rest at Donaghpatrick in Headford following her funeral Mass at the Church of St Patrick and Cuana at noon. On Saturday, second-year classmate Lukas, from Farmstown, Corrandulla, will be laid to rest in Annaghdown cemetery following requiem Mass at noon in St Brendan’s Church, Annaghdown.
Kirsty is survived by her parents, Christy and Theresa, her two sisters who are also students at Presentation College Headford, and extended family. Lukas is survived by his parents, Joe and Neringa, his grandparents in Lithuania, Vitas and Zita Kelmeliene, and extended family.
Ms Jackson said Lukas and Kirsty “loved school” where everyone “loved their presence”. They were “very treasured members of our school community” and had “a huge circle of friends” as well as being “two particularly pleasant and smiling youngsters”.
Headford parish priest Fr Ray Flaherty told The Irish Times the local community was “devastated” that children so young had been killed. “There’s shock and disbelief and I’d say there’s a numbness… These children are so young,” he said.
Sylane Camogie Club said it was “deeply saddened” to hear of the “tragic and heartbreaking news that our young camóg Kirsty Bohan” passed away on Monday.
“We offer our most wholehearted and sincerest sympathies to Kirsty’s parents, Theresa and Christy, to her sisters Martha and Ava, and to all her family and friends,” the club said in a statement. “We keep them all, and all other families affected, in our thoughts and prayers.”
