Parents criticise inquest into teen's death

The parents of an 18-year-old girl who died after she fell down concrete steps after a night out have expressed dissatisfaction…

The parents of an 18-year-old girl who died after she fell down concrete steps after a night out have expressed dissatisfaction with the investigation.

The Dublin city coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, recorded a verdict of accidental death and said he did not believe there were any suspicious circumstances surrounding her death. A postmortem found she sustained skull fractures and died from head injuries.

Derek and Bobbie Kelly made their comments after an inquest into the death of their daughter, Claire, held at Dublin City Coroner's Court yesterday. The inquest heard that the Kellys had been seeking the return of their daughter's clothes and other belongings for two years.

Claire Kelly, Woodlands, Greystones, Co Wicklow, died at Dublin's Beaumont Hospital on November 10th, 2004, 2½ weeks after she fell down concrete steps on Marine Parade in Greystones.

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At the request of coroner Dr Brian Farrell, Sgt Malachy Crowley said he would order the release of the items to the family from Bray Garda station. Sgt Crowley said they could not find any evidence that there was "anything suspicious" about her death. The inquest heard that Ms Kelly had been socialising in the Beach Club in Greystones before being walked home by her friend Stephen Massey. She drank a naggin of vodka followed by several more drinks over the course of the night.

After leaving the nightclub, Brian Delaney said his friend was "swaying" and she then fell over and chipped her tooth. Shortly after this, Mr Massey offered to walk her home. The inquest heard that Ms Kelly was due to go on a family holiday to Gran Canaria the following day.

A statement from Mr Massey read out in court said he was waiting for her at the top of the concrete steps on Marine Parade when he walked down and found her lying at the bottom of the steps bleeding from her head. He telephoned his father and they brought her home. Her parents then drove her to hospital. "The only way she could communicate was to squeeze my hand," Mr Kelly said.

Mr Kelly told the inquest that there was a "lack of support" from gardaí in providing the family with information in relation to their daughter's death. He also criticised the authorities for failing to interview a clinician at St Vincent's hospital who had some relevant things to say about his daughter's injuries.