The family of three sisters whose bodies were recovered from the sea off Brighton beach has broken their silence, pleading with the public to stop spreading conspiracy theories about their tragic deaths.
Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, were pulled from the water after police received welfare concerns at around 5:45 am on May 13. The women, from the Uxbridge area of London, were later identified, prompting a major investigation into the circumstances of their deaths.
Now, their family has spoken out, revealing they were unaware the trio had traveled to Brighton that morning. They described the sisters as quiet, close-knit individuals who did not go clubbing. The family expressed that the most distressing aspect of the ordeal has been the proliferation of conspiracy theories online, which they feel compelled to address in order to clarify the situation.
Family Speaks Out
Ajike Adetoro, the women's aunt, told The Times after returning to her Manchester home from the sisters' shared Uxbridge residence: "We are not speculating, but the girls were totally happy in the weeks and months before it happened and it was totally unexpected." She emphasized that the three were "the closest sisters and best friends who did everything together."
Ms. Adetoro described them as "happy girls" who had moved out of their father's house two years ago but maintained daily contact via messages. However, those messages abruptly stopped. Sussex Police were able to identify the sisters after a key fob found with them was traced back to their Uxbridge flat.
The aunt noted that speculation surrounding the deaths has been particularly painful for the family, especially after an AI-generated image of the three sisters was shared online. The family had created the composite image from old photographs as they lacked a recent picture of the trio together. "We just wanted AI to put it together and make it look good, all three of them together. I've just had to stop looking," she said.
Ms. Adetoro issued a plea for social media users to stop sharing conspiracy theories and instead remember the sisters for their character. "The most disturbing part for us is the conspiracies. We've heard people jump to conclusions that it was a racist attack, a murder, that they were clubbing... the most absurd messages. It's all wrong," she stated.
She added: "There is no compassion shown towards the three girls and their memory of how we know they would like to be remembered. Social media is throwing almost shade on everything they've stood for because they prided themselves on being the exception to the rule in not being wild... because that's the way their mum would have wanted them to have turned out. It's sad. The conspiracies are doing the family more harm than good."
Father's Heartbreaking Tribute
Relatives have gathered at the family home to support Joseph Adetoro, the sisters' father, following their deaths. He previously paid tribute to his daughters, saying: "No words can truly describe the pain of losing three daughters in the prime of their lives. Jane, Christina, and Becky were more than daughters to me; they were my joy, my strength, and the beautiful light that filled our family with happiness and love."
The family is still trying to understand what led the three women to Brighton that morning. Ms. Adetoro explained: "We've got to speak out in order to clarify this whole situation. These girls would not drink alcohol or smoke. They never went clubbing. They didn't even have social media. They were their father's world. He has to sort the funeral for three of them."
The family has also reflected on whether the sisters were in Brighton to mark the memory of their late mother, who died by drowning in Birmingham 16 years ago. Ms. Adetoro urged the public to show compassion and remember the trio for "everything they stood for as young women."
