Family of three sisters found dead at Brighton beach condemn conspiracy theories
The family of three sisters found dead at sea off Brighton have urged people to stop sharing conspiracy theories online about what might have happened to them.
The bodies of Jane Adetoro, 36, Christina Walters, 32, and Rebecca Walters, 31, were recovered from the sea on May 13 after concerns grew that a person had been seen in the water.
Sussex Police identified the three sisters on Wednesday during their father’s memorial service for his daughters “whose lives were tragically ended too soon”.
After their identities were revealed, online speculation about the deaths of the three sisters increased. Ajike Adetoro, the sisters’ aunt, told Times He said the conspiracies “did more harm than good” for the family.
“That’s the sad thing about all this. There’s no compassion shown for the three girls and their memories, how we know they want to be remembered,” he said.
“[Social media] It almost puts a damper on everything they stand for, because they took pride in being the exception to the rule of not being wild… because that’s what their mother would have wanted them to be.”
Their mother drowned in Birmingham in 2010. The Times.
“So sad. [The conspiracies] “It does more harm than good to the family.”
Online theories intensified about how they died after relatives used artificial intelligence to create an image of the sisters from old photos, as there were no recent photos of them together, the newspaper reported.
“We wanted the AI to bring these together and make all three look good together,” Ms. Adetoro told the newspaper. “I had to stop looking.”
A photograph of the three sisters as adults was first published by Sussex Police in memory of their father. It has since been removed. A photo later released by police showed the women as children with their father.
Ms Adetoro added: “The most troubling part for us is the conspiracies. We’ve heard people jump to conclusions that it was a racist attack, that it was murder, that they bludgeoned them… there were some very ridiculous messages. It’s all wrong.”
Police said an investigation was ongoing to understand how all three women ended up in the water, adding that there was no evidence of third party involvement or criminality.
Police reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV footage and carried out investigations at properties and businesses in the beach area to trace the women’s final movements.
“We’re not speculating but the girls were completely happy in the weeks and months leading up to the incident and this was completely unexpected.”
Speaking to the newspaper, Ms. Adetoro stated that the women were “the closest sisters and best friends who did everything together” and added, “They were happy girls. They moved out of their father’s house two years ago, but they were texting at least twice a day.”
The family said they were still trying to understand why the sisters went to Brighton that morning.
“We must speak openly to clarify this entire situation,” Ms. Adetoro added. “These girls didn’t drink alcohol or smoke. They never went to clubs. They didn’t even have social media. They were their father’s world. He has to handle the funeral of the three of them.”
Police have appealed to anyone who may have seen the three women in the Madeira Drive area between 10pm on Tuesday, May 12, and 5.30am on Wednesday, May 13, to contact them online or via 101, quoting Operation Ledmore, series 438, 20/05.
Independent Sussex Police has been contacted for comment.
