Women's Day demonstrators remember teenager found strangled

By Michael McHugh, Press Association

Hundreds of Women's Day demonstrators in Northern Ireland have remembered a teenager found strangled in a flat along with the body of her mother.

Instead of a minute's silence, the crowd staged a minute's noise.

Two protesters held a placard which read: "Their names are Giselle and Allison."

Allison Marimon-Herrera, 15, was one of three people discovered at a property in Newry, Co Down, this week in a murder-suicide which investigators described as unspeakably tragic.

Detectives said there was a "strong possibility" that her mother, Giselle Marimon-Herrera, 37, from Colombia, was also throttled.

Police said a 38-year-old man, Giselle Marimon-Herrera's partner, who also lived at the address, died by hanging.

They named him as Russell Steele, who was originally from Scotland.

Belfast Lord Mayor Deirdre Hargey said: "We are here in solidarity with their family at the loss of their lives and to say enough is enough."

Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) have launched a murder investigation and are not looking for anybody else.

Police received post-mortem examination results on Friday.

Officers went to the flat in Glin Ree Court, close to the city centre, after a relative reported concerns that they had not been in contact with a family member for days.

Their bodies were discovered at about 11am on Thursday after police forced entry.

An organiser of Saturday's march said: "We will not be silent over violence against women.

"Let's have a minute's noise instead of a minute's silence."

Detective Superintendent Jason Murphy said it was an "unspeakable tragedy".

Ms Marimon-Herrera moved from Colombia to Northern Ireland four years ago.

She worked in the Newry area.

Her daughter Allison was born in Spain and has lived in Northern Ireland since 2017.

She attended Newry High School.

Mr Murphy added: "I believe that Giselle and Allison were still alive in the early hours of Sunday morning but family members have not been able to contact them since."