Sisters in Brighton Sea Tragedy Took Own Lives, Coroner Rules

Three sisters who were tragically pulled from the water off Brighton Beach in May took their own lives, a coroner has officially ruled [1, 2, 3, 4]. Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, all residents of Luton, were found in the sea on 13th May [1, 5].

During the inquest, Coroner Penelope Schofield noted that none of the sisters could swim, questioning why they entered the water in the hours of darkness. She concluded that the sisters "deliberately entered the water with the intent to end their lives" [1, 5].

Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cullimore told Brighton Coroner's Court that searches on Christina's laptop revealed 179 references to suicide, though all these references were related to London and the Thames ^[1]. The official cause of death for all three was drowning [1, 5].

Their father, Joseph Jacobsen, shared a heartbreaking tribute, stating that there are "no words that can adequately express the loss of a child." He added that his daughters were loved and mattered, and he finds comfort in his Christian faith [1, 5].

Police reviewed thousands of hours of CCTV footage, which showed the women used a pre-booked taxi to travel from London to Brighton. Their last sightings were near the pier and along the seafront, with one sister seen using a mobile phone and another a mobile torch [1, 5].

At the time of the incident, relatives reportedly suggested the sisters might have travelled to Brighton in remembrance of their mother, who had drowned in Birmingham in 2010 ^[5]. This claim has not been confirmed by other sources.

Detective Chief Inspector Cullimore also detailed how two calls were received on 13th May reporting bodies in the sea, with one appearing lifeless and washed ashore. He described the sea as particularly rough and windy that day [1, 5].

Members of the family were not present in court but watched the proceedings online via a TV link [1, 5].

If you need to talk, the Samaritans are available 24/7. You can contact them for free by calling 116 123, emailing [email protected], or visiting their website [1, 4, 5]. The story was first reported by Mirror and BBC News.