Thomasina Tobin, 51, and her husband Patrick, 48, were discovered dead by their two teenage children inside a Jacuzzi at a villa in the Cap Blanc residential estate in Cullera, Valencia, last Tuesday. The couple, who lived in London, were on holiday in Spain at the time of the incident.
Victim's background and family
Mrs Tobin came from the McArdle family in Castleblayney. She had spent the past two decades living and working in London after studying at Trinity College Dublin. She built a career as a chartered surveyor, working on landmark developments including The Ritz and The Shard. Her father, Tommy McArdle, is a playwright, actor and producer who previously served as director of the RTÉ drama series Glenroe.
Initial reports said both Mr and Mrs Tobin were Irish, but it was later established that he was from New Zealand. The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it was aware of the case and was providing consular assistance for one Irish citizen.
Post-mortem findings and investigation
According to post-mortem reports, the couple suffered fatal heart stoppages after becoming trapped inside the Jacuzzi. Preliminary analyses indicated that the victims suffered cardiac arrest brought on by acute stress following physical exhaustion and the desperation of the moment, Valencia newspaper Las Provincias reported.
A second theory suggests one was electrocuted and the other died trying to rescue them. The death was initially investigated by homicide detectives after marks and scratches were found on both bodies, but authorities quickly ruled out foul play.
Accidental entrapment theory
Police are exploring the possibility that the pair died in a tragic accident. A third inspection of the Jacuzzi has been carried out with the assistance of an industrial specialist appointed at a judge's request, who examined the strength of the Jacuzzi's suction system.
Investigators are considering whether the tub's hydro-massage mechanism could have generated a powerful suction force that trapped the couple underwater. Las Provincias added: "According to the first investigations, the excessive suction force would have imprisoned the couple inside the bathtub, which triggered a situation of extreme anguish and desperate physical effort to free themselves from the hydraulic grip."
The publication added: "The autopsy findings almost definitively reinforce the theory of accidental entrapment. Preliminary analyses indicate that the victims suffered cardiac arrest brought on by acute stress following physical exhaustion and the desperation of the moment."
