Family's plea to shun alcohol falls on deaf ears after Chloe's death

The family of Limerick teenager Chloe Kinsella whose body was recovered from the River Shannon a week after she went missing say their appeal to young people to avoid alcohol has “fallen on deaf ears”.

Speaking after an inquest into her daughter’s death revealed the 15-year-old had toxic levels of alcohol in her system when she drowned, Shirley Kinsella said she wouldn’t wish any other family to suffer the same loss.

The mother of seven said she still can’t believe what happened to her teenage daughter: “I’m going through hell and back again and they [young people] are still drinking near my house. You are just wasting your time talking to them.

“I just hope to God, for their own sakes, they just look after themselves. I wouldn’t like anyone to go through it. I will never be right after this, I can’t believe what happened to her.”

Mrs Kinsella recalled how her daughter would have turned 16 last week.

Instead of celebrating, the family met at the 15-year- old’s graveside where they released a number of balloons in her memory.

The body of the Junior Cert student was recovered from the River Shannon on October 4 last, following a massive search operation involving hundreds of local volunteers.

It was on the sixth day of searching when the body of the 15-year-old was found in Brown’s Quay, a short distance from her family’s home in Kenyon Avenue, Kileely.

The popular teenager had queued for tickets for a One Direction concert with friends the night before she disappeared.

The inquest heard from pathologist Vourneen Healy that Chloe had a toxic level of alcohol in her blood and concluded death was as a result of drowning.

Limerick City Coroner, John McNamara, said he was aware of the “great efforts” that went into finding Chloe, whose body was identified by her older sister Linsey (24) the last person to see her alive.

“I don’t know if she fell in accidentally or intentionally and therefore, the suitable and correct verdict to return is an open verdict in accordance with medical evidence,” said Mr McNamara.

Chloe’s uncle Matt Franklin also attended the inquest. He said the recent searches for two young students who went missing earlier this month in Limerick “brought it all back” for the Kinsella family.

“It is very hard when you hear the helicopter hovering over your house, you know there is someone else in trouble.”

Mr Franklin, who urged all young people to live their lives to the full at his niece’s funeral, has continued with his efforts to discourage young people from drinking alcohol.

“I keep talking to them and approaching them and tell them to cop themselves on and make a life for themselves. Apparently it is just falling on deaf ears, ” he said.

“They are around there on Friday nights and Saturday nights still doing the same thing.”

Mr Franklin has also become involved with Limerick Land Search, a volunteer group that helps search for missing people.