That night was supposed to be one of the happiest moments in their lives — a significant milestone every teenager eagerly awaits. But instead, it turned into a night their families and community in County Monaghan, Ireland, will never forget.
On a summer evening in July 2023, 17-year-old Kiea McCann and 16-year-old Dlava Mohamed were heading to their school prom, dressed in beautiful gowns and full of excitement. But they never made it.
The girls were passengers in a car driven by 61-year-old family friend Anthony McGinn. Also in the vehicle were Dlava’s older sister, Avin, and 18-year-old Oisin Clerkin. According to investigators, the short trip to the event turned tragic when McGinn ignored multiple pleas from the teenagers to slow down.
As the car sped along the narrow, winding country roads, witnesses later said McGinn was driving almost twice the speed limit — reaching 94 mph in a 50 mph zone. Within moments, he lost control of the car, which veered off the road and crashed violently into a tree.
The impact was devastating.
Kiea and Dlava, seated side by side in the back, died instantly. When emergency crews arrived, the two girls were still holding hands.
Their friend Oisin and Dlava’s sister Avin survived but were critically injured. Avin spent months in the hospital, undergoing multiple surgeries and long rehabilitation. For weeks, she didn’t know her younger sister was gone. When she finally found out the truth, she said the guilt of having invited Dlava to the prom nearly broke her.
“I lost my best friend and my sister in one moment,” Avin later told reporters. “We were supposed to be laughing and taking pictures, not saying goodbye.”
During the investigation, police confirmed that McGinn had ignored repeated warnings from his passengers. Evidence showed a pattern of reckless driving, with no attempt to brake before the crash. The court later heard that the accident wasn’t caused by bad weather or road conditions but by deliberate recklessness and disregard for safety.
In May 2025, McGinn pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. The judge sentenced him to seven years in prison and banned him from driving for twenty years.
For the grieving families, the sentence brought little comfort.
“Seven years — that’s all?” said Teresa McCann, Kiea’s mother, speaking through tears outside the courthouse. “Two beautiful girls are gone forever, and this is what justice looks like? My child’s life is never coming back.”
The judge, while acknowledging the families’ pain, called the crash “a profound betrayal of trust.” McGinn had been a family friend — someone the girls trusted to get them safely to their prom. Instead, his choices destroyed two young lives and devastated everyone who loved them.
Kiea’s father arrived at the crash site before emergency crews. He desperately tried to revive his daughter and her best friend, performing CPR until help arrived. “He couldn’t let go,” one witness said. “He kept saying, ‘Come on, girls. Stay with me.’”
The tragedy sent shockwaves through Monaghan, a small community where everyone knew the inseparable girls. Schools, churches, and neighbors gathered in mourning. Vigils filled the town with flowers, candles, and ribbons — pink and white, the girls’ favorite colors.
At their joint funeral, classmates spoke through tears about their laughter, friendship, and dreams that would now never come true. Dlava had dreamed of becoming a nurse; Kiea wanted to work in fashion. Both were remembered as bright, kind, and full of life.
Their story has become a heartbreaking reminder of how one reckless decision can destroy so many lives. Parents and schools across Ireland have used their memory to raise awareness about road safety and responsible driving.
Two best friends left home for a night of celebration. They never came back. Yet in their final moments, they were together — hands clasped, just as they had been in life.