Dad of Claire McKenna, Irish woman found dead in NYC, calls death ‘suspicious’

The grieving father of a young Irish woman found dead in Queens last month told The Post on Wednesday that her death is “suspicious” — but he’s worried authorities will brush it off as a drug overdose.

Claire McKenna, 26, was found dead in some shrubs in Queens Village on Oct. 12 and her dad called on cops to investigate thoroughly.

“It’s easy for them. ‘Oh, it’s an overdose.’ And then it goes away,” Derek McKenna told The Post. “But it’s not going to go away. I will do whatever I have to do. I will do it myself. I can do it with them or without them.

“The thing is, it’s suspicious.”

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Cops have said Claire had a history of drug use and was found with track marks on her left arm, claims her family denies. 

“We don’t know what happened,” her dad said. “We weren’t told that she was found with track marks on her arm.”

At 3:11 a.m. on the morning before she was found dead, Claire texted her dad “Help,” then added “my phone will die,” according to messages he shared with The Post.

Law enforcement sources said Claire was found with no ID and appeared as if she had self-inflicted cuts to her arms and a bruise on her neck.

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Investigators discovered she had used her credit card on Jamaica Avenue, several blocks from where her body was found in an area where she was known to hang out, the sources added.

The family has been offering $35,000 for information leading to an arrest or conviction.

“Something happened. It’s not just a drug overdose,” he added. “That person is out there. That person is liable to do anything. People should know what this person did. That person needs to be caught.”

The family, which comes from Ireland but now lives in Queens, has been distraught since Claire was found dead, McKenna said.

Though he doesn’t believe his daughter did heavy drugs, he said that even if her death were determined to have been an OD, it shouldn’t be the end of the case.

UPDATE: This story has been edited to take out references her father claimed about Claire’s body being transported, on the family’s request. The family told The Post, “Claire did not have a history of drug use and the Medical Examiner found no bruises or track marks. Reports of a video of Claire being transported or otherwise related to her death are also false.”