Best friends die holding hands after tragic crash on their way to school prom
The heartbreaking story of two Irish teens who lost their lives in a car accident caused by dangerous driving
Two teenage best friends lost their lives in a devastating car crash on their way to their school prom, a night that should have been filled with laughter and memories.
Seventeen-year-old Kiea McCann and sixteen-year-old Dlava Mohamed were traveling with a family friend, 61-year-old Anthony McGinn, when tragedy struck in County Monaghan, Ireland, in July 2023. McGinn was reportedly driving at nearly twice the speed limit when he lost control of the car and crashed into a tree.
According to court reports, both girls had repeatedly asked McGinn to slow down, as did another passenger, 18-year-old Oisin Clerkin, who later described feeling terrified as the car sped through rural roads. Investigators confirmed the vehicle was traveling at 94 mph in a 50 mph zone before it left the road.
Our hearts are heavy for Kiea McCann and Dlava Mohamed. Thinking of all their friends, family and the Largy community 🖤🖤🖤 pic.twitter.com/ASY9Vim3We
Ad— The Shona Project (@shonadotie) August 2, 2023
Family members later shared that the two inseparable friends were found side by side, their hands gently clasped, a detail that touched hearts across Ireland.
Dlava’s sister, Avin, who was also in the car, suffered severe injuries and lasting memory loss from the crash. Reports indicate she faced a long recovery process as she came to terms with the loss of her sister.
Earlier this year, McGinn pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death and was sentenced to seven years in prison. During sentencing, the judge called McGinn’s actions an “extraordinary breach of trust,” emphasizing that his deliberate speeding led directly to the loss of two young lives.
Kiea’s heartbroken mother, Teresa, expressed her pain outside the courthouse, saying, “Seven years, that’s the justice here. Two beautiful girls. This is what we got today. There is no justice for this. My child’s life is gone and never coming back.”
As the Monaghan community continues to mourn, both families remember Kiea and Dlava as kind, bright, and full of promise — two souls who shared an unbreakable bond in life and in death.
May they rest in peace, and may their story serve as a reminder of the devastating cost of reckless driving.
