Inquest rules three Nigerian sisters drowned in Brighton took their own lives

An inquest has ruled that three Nigerian sisters who drowned in the sea off Brighton, southern England, took their own lives.

According to the Vanguard, Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, lived together in Greenford, west London, and had reportedly become increasingly withdrawn following their mother’s death in 2010.

The sisters travelled to Brighton on May 12 and were captured on CCTV along the eastern seafront before entering the water in the early hours of May 13. None could swim.

Coroner Penelope Schofield said the court could not speculate about their reasons.

The inquest heard that police examining Christina’s laptop found 227 references to water and 179 references to suicide. She had reportedly experienced anxiety and depression following her mother’s death.

Toxicology tests found no drugs or alcohol, while investigators found no evidence of violence.

Their father, Joseph Jacobsen, described losing his three daughters as heartbreaking.

The sisters’ bodies were recovered separately by rescuers and from the shoreline.