Family’s agony as life support stopped for mum left in coma by savage attack
DOCTORS will withdraw a young mother’s life support in a Belfast hospital today after a court ruled that she could no longer be kept alive due to the extreme pain caused by her injuries.
West Belfast woman Joleen Corr (27), a beautician, sustained horrific brain injuries and was left in a coma after being savagely attacked in Downpatrick.
The mother-of-one was assaulted in a house in Thomas Russell Park in the Co Down town in 2016.
She was beaten so badly she was barely recognisable.
Joleen spent six months receiving specialist treatment in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital following the attack and was later transferred to Musgrave Park Hospital.
Last week’s court ruling means that medical staff will withdraw all food and fluids from the woman, who has been in a veg- etative state since the brutal attack.
Ms Corr will spend her final days in the surroundings of the Northern Ireland Hospice.
She is likely to die within a fortnight.
Carol Corr — who is also mum to Cherie (23), Jim (20), Chloe (12), and nine-year-old Christine — has been at her daughter’s side every day since the devastating 2016 attack.
Speaking at the weekend, Joleen’s heartbroken mother said: “I feel like when she was beaten up, we lost her, but now we’ve lost her all over again and this time it’s forever. My heart has been ripped out and shattered into a million pieces.
“The staff at Northern Ireland Hospice are going to keep her as comfortable as they can, but we know within the next few days we’ ll be saying our goodbyes.
“It’s not fair on her to make her have to cope with this pain any longer.
“The injuries she sustained when she was beaten up have finally got too much for her.
“Joleen was the happiest, bubbliest, most loving and beautiful girl in the world.
“She was a great mum too. Everything she did was for her son, and I’m going to miss her so much,” Joleen’s mother told the BBC.
One man, Mic h a e l O’ Co n n o r, has been charged in connection with the attack on Joleen. He has pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and grievous bodily harm and is currently remanded in custody.
O’Connor, originally from Westrock Grove in west Belfast, is understood to be Ms Corr’s ex-partner.
No date has yet been set for his trial.
Joleen Corr with mum Carol. Left: Joleen before the attack