Body Exhumed In Sligo Is Not Arlene Arkinson

A body exhumed from a grave in Sligo has been found to not be that of missing Tyrone teenager, Arlene Arkinson.

In a report by the BBC, Kathleen Arkinson, said: "My hope in finding the remains of my sister, Arlene, have been dashed again.

"I prayed it was Arlene and was devastated when I was told it wasn't.

"We seem to suffer blow after blow."

It is understood that the exhumation was carried out in March this year, after the coroner leading an ongoing inquest in Arlene's case uncovered information about the body in a Garda files.

The files are understood to have revealed that the body – described as that of a young woman with long hair, "wrapped in plastic" – was discovered by gravediggers in 1996. The find was not officially reported for another three years. Reports claim that the body was not reported "for fear the IRA had something to do with the death". However, it is claimed that officials decided not to exhume the body after it was reported.

A decision to exhume the remains was only made after the Belfast coroner uncovered details of the body in garda reports.

Arlene Arkinson's family have raised questions over why the body was not exhumed sooner, and whether or not the RUC – the PSNI was formerly known as the RUC – was ever informed about the discovery.

Speaking to the BBC, Kathleen Arkinson, said: "This was an obvious lead for those searching for Arlene and it's only coming out now.

"It makes me wonder how many other possible leads the Garda had and didn't share them.

"It only adds to the secrecy and mistrust which has surrounded Arlene's case from day one."

The inquest into the teenager's death is due to resume in Belfast on Monday.

Arlene (15), from Castlederg, disappeared in 1994 after a night out in County Donegal.

She was last seen in the company of convicted child killer Robert Howard who died in 2015.

He was acquitted of Arlene's murder, but remains the prime suspect in the case.

(MH)