Overview
- Testifying at the inquest, DfI director Jonathan McKee said the hatch at the Northwood Road culvert was probably not locked between 2017 and 2020.
- He rejected a claim that the department "didn't have a clue" about the lock status and said it formed an early view that the hatch was unlocked.
- McKee told the jury the culvert was in good condition before June 2020 and that records showed no prior reports of public access or safety concerns.
- After Noah disappeared, an official reported that 50 to 60 youths had forced entry near the inlet, found a gate lock cut, and then replaced the gate lock and added a lock to the hatch.
- McKee said a debris screen at the inlet was later replaced with a security screen because new valves were installed in the culvert, not as a response to Noah’s death.