Vigil held for Chloe Mitchell in Ballymena to mark murdered woman's 22nd birthday

Members of murder victim Chloe Mitchell's family, have told UTV that their grief is as raw today, as it was when her remains were first found nine months ago.

Chloe's relatives spoke as they gathered in the park where she was last seen alive to mark what should have been her 22nd birthday.

The father of Natalie McNally, who was 15 weeks pregnant when she was killed in December 2022, also attended the vigil to offer the family support.

Nadine Mitchell, Chloe's sister told UTV the family were taking it "one day at a time".

"I am just completely lost," she said.

"It sill feels like yesterday."

The sky above King George V Park in Ballymena on Tuesday afternoon was filled with pink and purple balloons reflecting Chloe Mitchell’s favourite colours as crowds gathered to mark what would have been her 22nd birthday. Posters with photographs of Ms Mitchell adorned every lamp post in the park as her family, friends and supporters including North Antrim MP Ian Paisley, marked the first birthday since her death. Chloe vanished on a night out last summer, sparking a huge search operation. A week later a murder investigation was launched when her remains were found.

Her brother Philip said it has been a devastating time for his family, describing a sense of emptiness without his younger sister. He said the park was a place his sister loved and grew up around, often coming with her young nieces and nephews to play football.

A seat has been installed in her memory. He said balloons were picked to reflect what she loved most, the colours pink and purple, and butterflies. “It’s a way to remember her birthday and do the best we can do for her, it’s the least she deserved,” he said. “She loved pink, purple and butterflies, there was plenty of them, and it was nice to see the colours in the community. “The help and support today has been absolutely fantastic. “It shows us how the community can come together when they want to, and the help has been absolutely brilliant from day one. “We couldn’t ask for more today, everything that we wanted to do went to plan and it all worked perfectly.” Brandon John Rainey, 26, of James Street, Ballymena, has been charged with Chloe Mitchell's murder.

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