A United Kingdom inquest has concluded that three sisters who drowned off Brighton beach took their own lives, 16 years after their mother died by drowning in Birmingham.
The sisters, Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, were found dead in the sea near Brighton’s Black Rock area on May 13, 2026, after travelling from their home in Greenford, west London.
Senior Coroner Penelope Schofield delivered the conclusion on Thursday, October 8, saying the sisters had lived increasingly secluded lives following their mother’s death in 2010.
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The inquest heard that the women entered the sea during the early hours of May 13 despite being unable to swim and facing adverse sea conditions.
Postmortem examinations confirmed that all three died by drowning. Toxicology tests found no drugs or alcohol in their systems, and investigators found no evidence of violence or third-party involvement.
“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,” Schofield said.
“It is not for the court to speculate and sadly these reasons may never be known.”
Sisters revisited mother’s death before tragedy
The inquest heard that the sisters travelled to Birmingham on May 11, visiting an area connected to their mother, Janice Adetoro, who died by drowning in 2010.
They returned to London before travelling by taxi to Brighton on the evening of May 12.
The taxi driver reportedly noticed that the sisters spoke very little during the journey. They arrived near the seafront at 10:21pm.
CCTV footage showed the women walking along different sections of the seafront during the night. They were last seen alive at approximately 2:42am on May 13.
Emergency services were alerted later that morning after concerns were raised about someone in the water.
Jane was brought ashore by a Royal National Lifeboat Institution crew and pronounced dead at the scene. Christina was recovered from the sea by an RNLI lifeboat, while Rebecca’s body was washed ashore at Brighton beach. Both were also pronounced dead that morning.
Sussex Police had previously said their investigation found no evidence of criminality or third-party involvement. The subsequent inquest established that the sisters had deliberately entered the water intending to end their lives.
Inquest hears of mental health struggles
The court heard that Christina had experienced anxiety and depression following their mother’s death.
A police examination of her laptop uncovered 179 references to suicide and 227 references to water, according to evidence presented at the inquest.
Detective Chief Inspector Mark Cullimore told the court that Rebecca’s medical records contained “nothing of note”, while Jane was not registered with a doctor.
The evidence did not establish a definitive explanation for the sisters’ decision, and the coroner cautioned against speculation about their motives.
Their cousin, Natalie Walters-Daniel, told The Times that the death of their mother had profoundly affected the family and that she believed the sisters never fully recovered from the loss.
The sisters had continued living together in west London, maintaining what the coroner described as an exceptionally private life.
Father describes unbearable heartbreak
Their father, Joseph Adetoro, expressed profound grief over the loss of all three daughters.
In a statement read at the inquest, he described the deaths as “a heartbreak beyond anything I could ever have imagined”.
“There are no words that can adequately express the pain of losing a child,” he said.
He recalled watching his daughters grow from children into “beautiful, intelligent women” and said he struggled to understand why their lives had ended so suddenly.
He also expressed hope that they had been reunited with their mother “in God’s eternal care”.
The family had previously described the sisters as deeply loved, while tributes following their deaths reflected the scale of the loss.
The inquest has established the circumstances of the sisters’ deaths, but their precise motivations remain unknown.
Their case has also drawn attention to the lasting effects that bereavement and mental health difficulties can have on individuals and families, while underscoring the importance of seeking support when emotional distress becomes overwhelming.
Support information: Anyone experiencing suicidal thoughts or concerned about someone at risk should seek professional help or contact a trusted person. In Nigeria, the Suicide Research and Prevention Initiative (SURPIN) has provided support through its helpline, 0800 078 7746. Availability should be confirmed before publication. In the UK, Samaritans can be contacted free on 116 123 at any time.
