The heartbroken mother of Mia Lily Keogh O’Keefe, who was the victim of a hit-and-run on the outskirts of Navan on Saturday night, has told the driver of the car that killed her that the horror of her daughter’s death with “forever play on repeat in my head”.
In a heart-rending statement released to Gript Media, and addressed directly to the driver of the car that collided with Mia Lily killing the teenager alongside her dog, a chihuahua named Bowie, her mother Louise Keogh O’Keefe said:
“I know this will find you easily, just as easily as people found her name and photos, just as easily as you took her from me. You need to hear what your negligence has caused. It starts with a mistake, that leads to a consequence, she was the consequence, and you have started an unbearable ripple of grief. It starts with me, I’m her mother, I carried her and gave her life, and she gave me the most beautiful gift of being her mother. She truly was a gift, and a most talented girl.
She taught herself crafts and was an incredible artist of many different kinds, everything from crocheting to painting and clay. She taught herself languages just because she was that clever. You stopped it in its tracks. Her learning, her talent, you took her dreams from her. She was going on holiday with her school in a couple of weeks. Her clothes will be delivered, and her bag lays unpacked. I got her a personalised name tag made for it that will never get used.
She was my daughter, but she was also a sister. Her sister left behind and her three baby brothers are never going to have the same life, because you’ve taken a part of them away. My youngest baby is two and she was his go to person. He doesn’t understand why she’s not in her room. She was a cousin, a niece, a granddaughter and a friend. You’ve taken so much from everyone, because she, as a person, was so much to so many.
But as her mother, I can’t tell you the deepest pain you’ve caused me. I’ll never be whole again, my heart will always ache and long to hold her and hear her laugh. The horror you’ve made me see will forever play on repeat in my head. My beautiful daughter, how you left her, may God have mercy on you.”
Mia Lily was killed on Saturday night very close to her home, as she and Bowie went on a regular walk. The vehicle that collided with her – leaving her with “catastrophic” injuries and killing Bowie instantly, did not stop at the scene. A man understood to be in his twenties later presented himself to Gardai and was arrested. He was later released without charge. A car was subsequently seized, and will undergo forensic examination. In a statement, Gardai said investigations are ongoing.
The force is continuing to appeal for witnesses to the incident that claimed Mia-Lily and Bowie’s lives, and is specifically seeking road users with camera footage (including dash-cam) who were travelling in the area (the Slane Road, N51, Navan) between 8:00pm and 8:45pm, who are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardaí.
Gript Media understands that the arrested and later released man is unknown to Mia Lily’s family.
A GoFundMe page has since been set up to help the devastated family of the Navan teenager, and has already raised close to €30,000.
The page, set up by a relative to cover the cost of funeral expenses, said that the teenager was “just moments from her home” when the collision occurred, and the driver did not stop.
“She was only 16 years old and had her whole life ahead of her. She leaves behind her heartbroken Mam Louise, Dad Stephen, her sister Katelyn, and her brothers Kai, Zack and Cole, along with so many friends and loved ones who are devastated by her loss”
Speaking to Gript Media earlier today, local Councillor Emer Toibin described the incident as an “unspeakable tragedy”. Mia Lily’s school, Loreto St. Michael’s in Navan, said that they were putting psychological supports in place for students affected by the incident, and shared prayers and deepest condolences to Mia Lily’s family and friends.
Funeral arrangements for Mia Lily have yet to be announced.