Teenager's death 'tragic accident', coroner says – The Irish News

A coroner has ruled the death of a teenage girl who was knocked down and killed after leaving an ambulance on a country road was a “tragic accident”.

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

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

Coroner Joe McCrisken heard evidence from PSNI officers, ambulance service staff and medical experts over several days earlier this month.

At Friday's hearing, Mr McCrisken said he was “entirely satisfied” that Ms McQuillan and Mr McFerran wanted to leave the ambulance and did so “of their own free will”.

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

During the investigation it emerged that two off-duty police officers failed to stop and instead called 999 after seeing Ms McQuillan in the middle of the road after she left the ambulance.

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

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

“I am not concluding that it was a suicide, his death will be 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.