Three Nigerian sisters were found dead after walking into the sea on Brighton’s eastern seafront in early May, and a coroner’s inquest has ruled the deaths as self‑inflicted. Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, had travelled from London to the south‑coast and entered the water despite not being able to swim, leading to their drowning.
Key facts established at the hearing include: the sisters arrived in Brighton by taxi at 10:21 pm on 12 May; CCTV captured them on the seafront until 2:42 am the following morning; toxicology reports showed no alcohol or drugs; and police analysis of Christina’s laptop revealed hundreds of references to water and suicide, suggesting a possible mental‑health link.
**What did the coroner determine?**
Coroner Penelope Schofield, whose name is linked to the official [Coroner service](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coroner), stated that the court could not speculate on the motives behind the sisters’ actions but concluded that the evidence pointed to a deliberate decision to enter the water.
**How were the bodies recovered?**
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution ([RNLI](https://www.rnli.org)) was involved in the rescue attempts. Jane Adetoro was pulled ashore by RNLI crew and pronounced dead on the beach. Christina Walters was retrieved by an RNLI lifeboat and later declared deceased by paramedics. Rebecca Walters’ body washed up later and was also confirmed dead by emergency services.
**What background information was presented?**
The sisters lived together in Greenford, west London, and had become increasingly withdrawn after their mother died in 2010. Their father, Joseph Jacobsen, described the loss as “heartbreaking”. The inquest noted that the sisters visited an area of Birmingham near the site of their mother’s death on 11 May before heading to Brighton the next day, a detail reported by the [BBC](https://www.bbc.com).
**Were there any health or medical findings?**
Medical records showed that Rebecca had no significant health issues relevant to the case, while Jane was not registered with a doctor. Christina had a history of anxiety and depression following her mother’s passing. No evidence of violence or external interference was found.
The inquest examined the sisters’ movements in the hours leading up to their entry into the water, the condition of their bodies, and the digital evidence on Christina’s laptop, ultimately concluding that the deaths were self‑inflicted.