'Raw with grief' - Young mother and child killed in Donegal road tragedy named locally

The young mother and child who tragically died following a road traffic collision near their home in Carndonagh, County Donegal have been named locally.

Six-year-old Ella was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash at Carrowmore, near Glentogher, Carndonagh, on Wednesday evening.

Ella's mother Natalie McLaughlin passed away from her injuries at Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital less than 24 hours later, on Thursday evening.

Natalie, who was aged in her 20s, was well-known and well-respected in the Carndonagh area, where she worked as a nurse at a local doctor’s surgery.

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A young female child, who was a backseat passenger in the car, is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Belfast’s Royal.

Meanwhile, a male front seat passenger, aged in his 30s, is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.

Carndonagh County Councillor Albert Doherty said the double tragedy was “really, really devastating to take on board”. 

“We are just a community that has been totally devastated. We are all raw with grief; we are sore to the core,” he said.

Cllr Doherty said the Inishowen community will do its best to rally to “support the family in the difficult times they have to face ahead.”

Gardaí have since renewed their appeal for witnesses following the fatal collision between the car and van on the R240 at Carrowmore shortly before 6.30pm.

Any road users who may have camera or dashcam footage and were travelling in the area between 6pm and 6.30pm on Wednesday, 2 July are asked to make this footage available to gardaí.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Buncrana Garda Station at 074 932 0540, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.