The body of one of the teenage girls killed in last weekend's car crash in Co Fermanagh has been exhumed and will be reburied this morning after it was "misidentified". The Swift family thought they had buried Anita (16) in Newtownbutler on Tuesday following Sunday morning's collision in which four young people died. However, doubts persisted about the identities of the two female victims. Dan Keenan, Northern News Editor, reports.
The funeral was held up for a few minutes on Tuesday morning following the intervention of a police officer acting on the coroner's concerns. The burial went ahead after the short delay but questions concerning identification of the bodies re-emerged the following day.
The funeral of Anita's friend, Danica O'Rourke (17), originally scheduled for 11am on Wednesday in nearby Lisnaskea, was postponed indefinitely following doubts about the identity of the remains.
It emerged yesterday that the body buried in Anita Swift's grave in Newtownbutler was exhumed at about 9pm on Wednesday for further forensic tests. It was later discovered to be that of Danica O'Rourke.
The Irish Times understands the Swift family was at the graveside again early yesterday for the burial of Anita's body. Interment took place at about 6.30am in the cemetery adjoining St Mary's church in the town.
Requiem Mass for Danica O'Rourke is now due to take place this morning at Holy Cross Church in Lisnaskea at 11am.
The Northern Ireland Court Service in Belfast responded yesterday to what it said was "mounting speculation surrounding the exhumation that took place" and issued a statement.
"In the difficult circumstances of last weekend's tragic car accident in Fermanagh, given confusion surrounding the information at hand, there was an initial physical misidentification concerning the female fatalities. The question of identity was resolved following further forensic examinations. Anita's funeral has now taken place and Danica's funeral will follow in accordance with her family's wishes. The families are fully aware of the situation and have asked that their privacy be respected."
The statement continued: "The thoughts of all those who have been involved with this tragic accident go out to the two grieving families at this difficult time. The families are already suffering considerable distress as a consequence of the loss of their loved ones and have asked that there should not be press intrusion into their additional grief. We would ask that their wishes be respected."
The funerals of the two male victims of the crash, Jonathan McDonald and Peter Leonard, both 21, have already been held.
Mr McDonald was also buried after Mass at St Mary's in Newtownbutler on Tuesday while Mr Leonard was buried in Lisnaskea on Wednesday afternoon.
Their deaths brought the Northern Ireland road fatality total so far this year to 65.
The driver of the car and a front seat passenger were injured in the crash but they have since been released from hospital.
Mourners have continued to lay flowers at the accident site on Moorlough Road outside Lisnaskea.
