By Samuel Olusegun Precious
An inquest in the United Kingdom has concluded that three sisters of Nigerian descent whose bodies were recovered off Brighton beach died by suicide, 16 years after their mother suffered a similar tragic fate.
The deceased—Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31—lived together in Greenford, West London. Their bodies were retrieved from the sea near Madeira Drive in the early hours of May 13, 2026.
Delivering her verdict at Woodvale Coroner’s Court on Thursday, October 8, Senior Coroner Penelope Schofield ruled that the cause of death for all three women was drowning by suicide. The court noted that none of the sisters knew how to swim and had entered adverse sea conditions during the night.
Testimony presented at the inquest revealed that the sisters had lived remarkably secluded lives following the death of their mother, Janice Adetoro, who drowned in Brookvale Park Lake, Birmingham, in 2010.
Reconstructing their final days, investigators outlined a meticulous timeline:
Preparatory Steps: Prior to May 11, the sisters reportedly cleaned their West London apartment, settled outstanding debts, and emptied their bank accounts.
Pilgrimage to Birmingham: On May 11, they traveled by taxi to Linton Walk in Birmingham, close to where their mother had lived and died—a journey their cousin described as carrying “deeper emotional meaning.”
Arrival in Brighton: The sisters returned to London before booking a taxi to Brighton on May 12, arriving at 10:21 PM. CCTV footage captured them pacing the seafront in total darkness.
Final Sighting: The women were last seen alive on camera near Brighton Pier at 2:42 AM on May 13.
Emergency services were alerted at 5:45 AM after members of the public spotted the bodies in the water. RNLI lifeboat crews and paramedics pronounced all three dead at the scene.
Sussex Police confirmed that an exhaustive investigation involving hundreds of hours of CCTV footage found no evidence of third-party involvement, struggle, or criminality. Toxicology reports indicated no trace of drugs or alcohol. The court also heard that Christina had battled long-term anxiety and depression following her mother’s passing.
Attending the hearing via videolink, their father, Joseph Jacobson, expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy.
“To lose all three of my precious daughters is a heartbreak beyond anything I could ever have imagined. May your beautiful souls rest in perfect peace,” Jacobson said.
If you or someone you know is experiencing mental health struggles or thoughts of self-harm, help is available:
In Nigeria: Contact the Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN) at 08062106493 or 08092106493, or reach out to the Mentally Aware Nigeria Initiative (MANI).
In the UK: Call Samaritans on 116 123 or text SHOUT to 85258.*
