Three sisters who died on Brighton seafront earlier this month had suffered a previous family tragedy when their mother drowned, it has emerged. Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, from Uxbridge, north-west London, were reported swept away from the shore at 5.45am on 19 May.
Relatives have suggested the sisters may have been marking the anniversary of their mother Janice’s death. Janice, who suffered from stress-related mental health problems, disappeared from her home in Erdington, Birmingham, in January 2012 (though some family members say it was 2010) and died by drowning. She was 43.
An inquest into the sisters’ deaths will open at Brighton coroner’s court on 29 May. Sussex Police say there is no evidence of third-party involvement or criminality. One line of inquiry is that the women, who were found fully clothed, may have been paddling when they slipped off a shingle shelf.
Jane worked as an accountant, Christina had recently graduated from Brunel University, and Rebecca was described by family as “the baby who was very mischievous” and “the lively one who was always cracking jokes”. Their aunt, Ajike Adetoro, denied speculation that the women had been drinking or clubbing, saying they were “happy girls” who “would not drink alcohol or smoke”.
Their father, Joseph, said in a statement: “No words can truly describe the pain of losing three daughters in the prime of their lives. They were more than daughters – they were my joy, my strength, and the beautiful light that filled our family with happiness and love.”
Police continue to appeal for information to establish the full circumstances of the tragedy.
