A married couple found dead inside a jacuzzi at a Spanish villa both suffered cardiac arrests, post mortem records show. Thomasina Tobin, 51, and her husband Patrick, 48, died after becoming trapped in the jacuzzi during a holiday near Valencia.
The pair, who lived in London, were discovered by their two teenage children at the Cap Blanc residential estate in Cullera last Tuesday. Early analysis indicated they suffered "acute stress following physical exhaustion" while trying to save themselves, which caused their hearts to stop.
Autopsy findings
Valencia newspaper Las Provincias reported: "Preliminary analyses indicate that the victims suffered cardiac arrest brought on by acute stress following physical exhaustion and the desperation of the moment." A second theory is that one was electrocuted and the other died trying to rescue them.
The couple's death was initially probed by homicide detectives after marks and scratches were found on both bodies, but foul play was quickly ruled out. Police are now investigating whether the tub's hydro-massage system triggered a strong suction effect that trapped the couple in the water.
Investigation ongoing
An industrial expert, who joined police at the request of a judge, analysed the power of the suction fittings in the jacuzzi. Las Provincias said the excessive suction force would have imprisoned the couple inside the bathtub, triggering extreme anguish and desperate physical effort to free themselves. The scratches on their bodies could have stemmed from the pair trying to save one another.
Mrs Tobin, originally from Castleblayney in Co Monaghan, Ireland, was a quantity surveyor. She attended Trinity College Dublin and worked on major London sites including the Ritz and Shard. Her husband Patrick, 48, was from New Zealand. The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it was providing consular assistance for one Irish citizen involved in the case.
