SUICIDE PACT Inquest finds three sisters who died off Brighton beach took their own lives

An inquest has concluded that three sisters who drowned off brighton/">brighton beach took their own lives after travelling together from London. Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, were recovered from the sea on May 13. Emergency services had been called at around 5.45am following reports of a person in difficulty in the water. All three women were pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem examination later established that each sister died by drowning.

Coroner records suicide conclusions

At their inquests at Woodvale Coroner’s Court in Brighton on Thursday, Senior Coroner Penelope Schofield concluded that the sisters had entered the sea intending to end their lives. The court heard that less than two days earlier they had travelled from their home in west London to Birmingham, where they visited places associated with their late mother. Their mother had also died after taking her own life in 2010. The sisters later travelled to Brighton and were captured on CCTV near the seafront before entering the beach area during the early hours. The court heard that none of the three could swim.

No evidence of criminal involvement

Sussex Police had carried out an extensive investigation into the sisters’ final movements. Detectives reviewed CCTV footage, spoke to witnesses and carried out enquiries to determine whether anyone else had been involved. The force concluded in September that there was no evidence of criminality or third-party involvement in their deaths.

Father pays tribute

Their father, Joseph Jacobson, paid tribute to his daughters during the inquest. He said there were no words that could adequately express losing a child and described the sisters as having shared a particularly close bond. He said each had held a special place in his heart and added that they “were loved and they mattered”. The deaths prompted widespread public sympathy, with thousands of pounds previously raised towards funeral costs. The inquest has now formally concluded the circumstances surrounding all three deaths.