Young Mom Found Murdered in Home
Tributes are pouring in for 22-year-old Mary Ward, a young mother found dead in her home on Melrose Street in Belfast, Northern Ireland on October 1, 2024. Her death has prompted an outpouring of grief and shock across the community. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) revealed Ward had suffered fatal neck wounds, and a 31-year-old man, Ahmed Abdirahman, has been charged with her murder.
Ward had been last seen alive on September 25, spending that day between Dungannon and Belfast. Her disappearance was reported after friends and family could not reach her for days. Authorities later found her body during a welfare check related to an unrelated matter. Speaking on the case, PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck expressed sorrow: “First of all, I’d like to express my deepest sympathies to Mary Ward’s family and friends who are experiencing unbearable suffering knowing that their loved one was taken from them in such a cruel way.”
Beck noted that Mary Ward had previously reported being assaulted on September 4, which led to the arrest and questioning of Abdirahman related to the incident. The reasons for the suspect’s release were likely due to the procedural handling of the case, as the PSNI has since referred the matter to the Police Ombudsman for review, indicating that there may have been concerns about the adequacy of the initial response and risk assessment.
He expressed deep concern over the recurrence of violence against women in Northern Ireland, pointing out that Mary was the fourth woman killed in the region within just six weeks.
PSNI’s handling of Ward’s initial call is now under intense scrutiny. Despite her call and the subsequent arrest of a suspect, she was left unprotected, sparking public criticism. Michelle O’Neill, Northern Ireland’s First Minister, commented on the handling of Ward’s case, stating, “I am very concerned, I think we all should be very concerned, the fact that this apparently was reported before she tragically lost her life.”
Abdirahman, who denied the murder charges in a Dublin court, was apprehended by authorities after being tracked via surveillance footage. He was arrested on October 9 and remains in custody.
Ward had been last seen alive on September 25, spending that day between Dungannon and Belfast. Her disappearance was reported after friends and family could not reach her for days. Authorities later found her body during a welfare check related to an unrelated matter. Speaking on the case, PSNI Assistant Chief Constable Davy Beck expressed sorrow: “First of all, I’d like to express my deepest sympathies to Mary Ward’s family and friends who are experiencing unbearable suffering knowing that their loved one was taken from them in such a cruel way.”
Beck noted that Mary Ward had previously reported being assaulted on September 4, which led to the arrest and questioning of Abdirahman related to the incident. The reasons for the suspect’s release were likely due to the procedural handling of the case, as the PSNI has since referred the matter to the Police Ombudsman for review, indicating that there may have been concerns about the adequacy of the initial response and risk assessment.
He expressed deep concern over the recurrence of violence against women in Northern Ireland, pointing out that Mary was the fourth woman killed in the region within just six weeks.
PSNI’s handling of Ward’s initial call is now under intense scrutiny. Despite her call and the subsequent arrest of a suspect, she was left unprotected, sparking public criticism. Michelle O’Neill, Northern Ireland’s First Minister, commented on the handling of Ward’s case, stating, “I am very concerned, I think we all should be very concerned, the fact that this apparently was reported before she tragically lost her life.”
Abdirahman, who denied the murder charges in a Dublin court, was apprehended by authorities after being tracked via surveillance footage. He was arrested on October 9 and remains in custody.
70-79, M
