The cause of death of three sisters whose bodies were recovered from the sea off Brighton beach earlier this month remains unclear, an inquest has heard. Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, from Uxbridge, west London, were found in the water near Madeira Drive on 13 May.
At a hearing in Brighton on Friday, senior coroner Penelope Schofield said postmortem examinations had given a provisional cause of death as “yet to be ascertained”. Medical investigations are ongoing, and Sussex Police have stated they do not suspect foul play or any third-party involvement at this stage.
The sisters’ father, Joseph Jacobson, attended the hearing online. In a statement released through police, he described his daughters as his “joy, my strength and the beautiful light” that filled their family with happiness. He added that while grief was “unbearable”, he held on to their bond “that death can never take away”.
The coroner adjourned the inquest until 8 October, expressing hope that the official details would curb social media speculation. Emergency services were alerted at 5.45am on the day of the deaths. An RNLI crew brought Adetoro to shore, while Christina Walters was recovered by lifeboat and Rebecca Walters washed onto the beach. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.
Specialist detectives are reviewing CCTV footage and making inquiries with local businesses to trace the women’s last movements. Detective Superintendent Adam Hays said the force would “leave no stone unturned” in understanding what led to the tragedy. A GoFundMe page for the women’s funerals has raised nearly £44,000 from over 2,000 donations.
