UK Police Speak On 3 Nigerian Sisters Who Died On Beach 10 Years After Their Mum Drowned In Same Place
Police has revealed the cause of death of three Nigerian sisters who were found dead on Brighton Beach.
Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, were recovered from the water near Madeira Drive on May 13, 2026.
The women, who were from the Uxbridge area of London, were named by Sussex Police.
Just days before their death, the three sisters visited the lake where their mother also drowned 10 years prior.
Their mother, Janice Adetoro, drowned earlier near the home where the family was living in Birmingham in 2016.
It is still unclear how the siblings ended up in the water.
Their cousin, Natalie Walters-Daniel, 33, said the trio had travelled to Birmingham on a visit with a “deeper meaning” two days before they died.
An inquest into the deaths of the sisters opened in May at Brighton and Hove Coroner’s Court and is expected to resume in early October.
The inquest previously heard that post-mortem examinations had given a provisional cause of death as “yet to be ascertained”.
On Sunday, September 20, Sussex Police said post-mortem examinations had confirmed that “all three women died by drowning”.
The force also said the police investigation into the sisters’ deaths had concluded, finding no evidence of criminality or third-party involvement.
During the investigation, Sussex Police officers, supported by other forces, reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage, took statements from witnesses across the country and conducted further enquiries to establish the sisters’ movements before their deaths.
The investigation found that the three women were dropped off by taxi at Madeira Drive at 10.20pm on May 12.
Police found no evidence that they visited any nightclubs or businesses in the area that evening.
The women were found to have entered the water near the area where their bodies were recovered the following morning, “wearing everyday clothing”.
With the police investigation now concluded, the inquest will resume to determine the facts surrounding where, when and how the three sisters died.
An inquest hearing in May was told that Ms Adetoro was brought ashore by an RNLI crew and pronounced dead by a paramedic at the scene.
Christina Walters was recovered from the sea by an RNLI lifeboat, while Rebecca Walters was washed ashore on Brighton beach.
Both were also pronounced dead by paramedics.
Following the sisters’ deaths, their father, Joseph Jacobson, said there were days when the grief felt “unbearable”, but he held on to the memories they shared and “the bond that death can never take away”.
Chief Superintendent Adam Hays said: “From the outset of this complex and challenging investigation, we have been acutely aware of the speculation surrounding this incident, the public’s unanswered questions and their desire for answers.
“Our priority throughout has been uncovering the truth for the loved ones of Jane, Rebecca and Christina, because at this incident’s core there has always been a grieving family coming to terms with an unthinkable tragedy and loss. Our investigation has been thorough.
“Our extensive enquiries intentionally considered concerns raised by black communities surrounding the deaths of black people in or near bodies of water, as we worked to understand who the three women were and the factors that could have led to them being found on the beach that morning.
“However, our enquiries have now concluded, pending any new information coming to light. Jane, Rebecca and Christina’s tragic deaths sparked a national outpouring of grief, and I would like to thank everyone who supported our investigation by coming forward with information.
“We will now support the coronial process and ask that the sisters’ family continue to be given privacy to come to terms with their loss.”
