Coroner Rules Three Sisters Drowned Intentionally in Brighton

Tragic Deaths in the Sea

Three sisters—Jane Adetoro (36), Christina Walters (32), and Rebecca Walters (31)—died in the sea off Brighton beach on May 13. A coroner has ruled their deaths were intentional drownings. The women, who lived together in Greenford, London, arrived in Brighton by taxi late on May 12 and were last seen alive at 2:42 a.m. on May 13. Their bodies were recovered from the water in the early morning hours. Senior coroner Penelope Schofield presided over the inquest and determined the sisters entered the water during adverse sea conditions despite being unable to swim.

The Days Before and Troubling Digital Evidence

Just two days before their deaths, the three sisters visited an area of Birmingham near where their mother had drowned in 2010—a connection that suggests deep emotional ties to water and tragedy. During the inquest, police revealed they had searched Christina's laptop and discovered 227 references to water and 179 references to suicide. Medical records showed Christina had been experiencing anxiety and depression since her mother's death. Rebecca's medical records contained nothing notable, and Jane was not registered with any doctor. Toxicology tests came back negative for drugs and alcohol for all three sisters, and there was no evidence of violence.

Unanswered Questions and Family's Anguish

The coroner acknowledged the profound mystery surrounding the case, noting the sisters led very secluded, private lives and the true reasons for their actions may never be known. She stated it would be inappropriate for the court to speculate about their motivations. Their father, Joseph Jacobsen, participated in the inquest via video link and released an emotional statement describing the heartbreak of losing all three daughters. He expressed bewilderment at why their lives ended so suddenly and said he hoped his daughters were reunited with their mother in God's care. The statement emphasized the impossibility of adequately expressing the pain of such a loss, particularly losing all three children at once.