Nigeria: Inquest Confirms Joint Suicide of Three Nigerian Sisters

What the report says

A UK coroner has ruled that three sisters of Nigerian descent died by suicide after entering the sea near Brighton beach in the early hours of May 13, according to Leadership, which was republished by AllAfrica. The sisters were identified as Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31. They lived together in Greenford, west London, and the inquest said they had led very private lives following the death of their mother, who also died by drowning in 2010.

Evidence heard at Woodvale Coroner’s Court in Brighton said the sisters first traveled to Birmingham on May 11 and spent time near the area where their mother died, then returned to London. On May 12, they later took a taxi to Brighton and were seen on CCTV walking along the beach at night. They were last seen alive in the early hours of May 13. Their bodies were recovered by the RNLI and along the shoreline.

Senior Coroner Penelope Schofield said the women entered the sea in dark, bad weather and that all three died from drowning. Post-mortem and toxicology findings found no drugs, alcohol, violence, or foul play. The court also heard that Christina Walters had a history of anxiety and depression, while Jane was not registered with a doctor and Rebecca had no recorded mental health history. The case highlights the difficulties coroners face when evidence explains how people died but not why.