Royal Prank Call: Nurse Hanged Herself, Left Three Notes
Published at
An undated family photograph of Jacintha Saldanha. (STRDEL/AFP/Getty Images)(LONDON) — Jacintha Saldanha, the London nurse who killed herself after she answered a radio-station prank call about Kate Middleton, was found hanging from the neck and left three notes, according to the coroner’s officer.
The 46-year-old nurse who worked at London’s King Edward VII Hospital was discovered on Dec. 7 hanging by a scarf from a wardrobe in her bedroom, Coroner’s Officer Lynda Martindill told a British inquest.
The wife and mother of two also had injuries to her wrists, according to police detective chief inspector James Harman.
Harman told the coroner’s inquest that two notes were found at the scene and a third was discovered among Saldanha’s belongings. He did not release the contents of the notes.
There is no suspicion of foul play in Saldanha’s death, Harman said. Investigators are still trying to piece together exactly what led to her suicide, and are now interviewing her friends, family and co-workers to find more information, he said.
Saldanha was found dead last Friday morning after police were called to an address near the hospital to “reports of a woman found unconscious,” according to a statement from Scotland Yard.
Saldanha had worked at the hospital for more than four years.
DJs Mel Greig and Michael Christian of 2Day FM in Sydney called the hospital on Dec. 5 pretending to be Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles, looking to speak to Middleton, who was being treated at the hospital for acute nausea related to her pregnancy. The duo were able to obtain information about the duchess’ condition.
When the royal impersonators called the hospital, Saldanha put them through to a second nurse who told the royal impersonators that Middleton was “quite stable” and hadn’t “had any retching.”
The radio station, along with Greig and Christian, has apologized for the prank call, and the Australian Communications and Media Authority has now launched an investigation into the incident.
Coroner Fiona Wilcox has adjourned the inquest into Saldanha’s death until March 26.
Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio