Inquest Findings and Timeline
A senior coroner has concluded that three sisters who were discovered dead in the sea off Brighton in May 2026 took their own lives. Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, were recovered from the water in the early hours of 13 May after a member of the public raised the alarm, according to reporting by The Independent. During the inquest at Woodvale Coroner’s Court, senior coroner Penelope Schofield stated that the women entered the sea in darkness during adverse conditions, noting that none of them could swim.
The inquest established a timeline of the days leading up to the tragedy. On 11 May, the sisters traveled from their shared home in Greenford, west London, to Birmingham. They were dropped off at 11:36 p.m. near Linton Walk, an area adjacent to the lake where their mother had died by drowning in 2010. They returned to London early on 12 May before traveling by taxi to Brighton later that evening. CCTV footage captured them near the seafront at 10:21 p.m. on 12 May, and they were last seen alive at 2:42 a.m. on 13 May, as reported by the BBC.
Evidence and Family Statements
Post-mortem examinations confirmed the medical cause of death for all three women was drowning. Toxicology reports were negative for drugs and alcohol, and police found no evidence of violence. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cullimore told the court that while Christina Walters had been suffering from anxiety and depression since their mother’s death, there was no significant medical history recorded for Rebecca, and Jane was not registered with a doctor.
Financial inquiries revealed that the women had cleared bank accounts and paid off a loan in the days preceding their deaths. Investigators also discovered extensive internet searches regarding suicide and water on electronic devices belonging to Christina. Despite these findings, Coroner Schofield noted the lack of a clear motive for their final actions, stating, “These three sisters lived very secluded lives, they were incredibly private, we don’t know why they took this course of action or indeed why they chose to do it in Brighton.”
The sisters’ father, Joseph Jacobson, submitted a written statement to the court, describing the loss as a “heartbreak beyond anything I could ever have imagined.” He expressed his inability to understand the sudden end to his daughters’ lives, concluding his statement by hoping they were reunited with their mother.