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The deaths of three sisters whose bodies were discovered in the sea off Brighton beach did not involve criminal activity or the actions of a third party, police have concluded following a detailed investigation.
Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, all from Uxbridge in west London, were found dead in the sea on 13 May. Postmortem examinations carried out later that month confirmed that all three women had died by drowning.
Specialist detectives spent months examining the sisters’ final movements and trying to establish how they came to be in the water on the morning of their deaths, Sussex Police said.
The investigation established that the three women had been taken by taxi to Madeira Drive, the road running alongside Brighton Beach, at about 10.20pm on 12 May. They were wearing ordinary everyday clothes when they were dropped off.
Police found no evidence that the sisters had visited nightclubs or other businesses in the area that night. Investigators concluded that all three women entered the water close to the location where their bodies were eventually discovered.
A Sussex Police spokesperson said the main purpose of the investigation had been to establish whether any criminal offence had been committed in connection with how the sisters entered the water or their subsequent deaths.
The force confirmed that, after a thorough investigation, officers had found no evidence of a crime or any involvement by another person.
However, questions surrounding the sisters’ precise movements before their deaths and the possible reasons they entered the sea will remain part of the East Sussex coroner’s inquest.
Ch Supt Adam Hays said police were “acutely aware” of the widespread speculation surrounding the case, as well as concerns raised within Black communities about the deaths of Black people in or near bodies of water.
He said the deaths of Jane, Rebecca and Christina had led to a national outpouring of grief. He also thanked members of the public who provided information during the police investigation and said the force would now support the coronial process.
Hays also appealed for the sisters’ family to be given privacy as they continue to deal with their loss.
Following the deaths, the women’s father, Joseph Jacobson, described the grief as unbearable at times but said he continued to draw strength from the memories they had created together and from the family bond that, he said, death could never destroy.
In a statement issued through Sussex Police, Jacobson described Jane, Christina and Becky as much more than daughters, calling them a source of joy, strength and happiness for the entire family.
He remembered each of them as unique and precious, saying their smiles could brighten difficult days, while their laughter brought comfort and their presence gave greater meaning to life.
Although their lives were tragically short, he said the impact they had made on their family would remain in their hearts forever.
A GoFundMe fundraiser set up to help cover the sisters’ funeral costs has attracted more than 2,200 donations from members of the public, raising almost £46,000.
