Virgin air hostess killed herself over fears she’d be sacked for being drunk off-duty | UK | News
A “gorgeous and smiley” stewardess committed suicide after she was convinced she was about to lose her dream job because she got drunk in a hotel swimming pool. Virgin Atlantic flight attendant Jasmin Winthrop, 25, was “grounded” from flying after falling ill on a trip from London to Jamaica in January. While recovering from a sinus infection at a five-star hotel in Montego Bay and awaiting clearance to fly home, he met up with other Virgin employees and spent a day drinking sparkling wine and cocktails.
After becoming “drunk”, he vomited in public and collapsed “from embarrassment” in the following hours, despite insistence from senior colleagues that he “wouldn’t get into trouble” as a result. The next morning, other staff texted Ms Winthrop multiple times and when they received no response, asked security to help them get into her room. Once inside, they discovered the 25-year-old had hanged himself. A note left next to his body read: “I really loved my job at Virgin Atlantic more than anything but I ruined everything.”
Jamaica Police said after the conclusion of the investigation into her death that there was no evidence of foul play.
An inquest held in Bournemouth for the Poole native heard Ms Winthrop, who had previously worked on flights from Britain to America, fell ill two hours into her journey to Jamaica on January 23.
After suffering severe pain in his jaw due to a sinus infection, he was told to rest for the remainder of the flight and was taken to a medical center for a CT scan the next day.
The crewmates flew home on January 25, but Mrs. Winthrop remained there because she was not getting better. A new team arrived at the hotel the next day and was introduced to him on the morning of January 27th.
After spending the day drinking with them, he was helped up to his room around 4.45pm. In a text to her colleague later that night, she wrote: “I’m so embarrassed. That’s what you get when you stay on your own for a few days and then go a little crazy. I’m so worried, am I going to lose my job or something?”
The investigation also heard that in another message he asked if the flight service manager “hated” him, and in another voice note he said he would commit suicide if he was fired.
Kiri Page, the flight services manager who discovered the stewardess’ body, said: “She was in tears and apologetic and kept saying, ‘I’m sorry, I don’t want to lose my job.’
“I assured Jasmin that she wasn’t in trouble. At no point did I say [that] I was reporting his behavior. We went to the safe room, it was embarrassing [Browne]the co-pilot, myself and the security personnel. When Shane pulled back the curtain I could see his reaction; “He was just screaming.”
The autopsy report revealed Ms. Winthrop’s blood alcohol level was above the drink-driving limit at the time of her death.
A GoFundMe page was founded after his death He raised more than £10,000 for his family and the inquest was told the 25-year-old had been planning to take his mother on holiday to South Africa the week she died.
Speaking via video link, her mother Gemma Winthrop said her daughter was “thrilled” to get a job at Virgin and was “making new friends on every trip”.
“We had no concerns about Jasmin’s mental health, either at home or when she went to Jamaica,” he added.
“This is a result of what happened during his time in Jamaica. He made this clear in his voice notes and suicide note. [that] “It was about fear of losing his job.”
Miss Winthrop’s colleague Dylan Bork wrote on the fundraising page: “Jasmin was the smileiest person there, she was so happy. Jasmin walked in every day with a smile, eager to learn and get to know everyone…Rest in peace, you amazing girl.”
Virgin Atlantic said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened to hear that a member of our cabin crew community has sadly passed away while abroad. Our people meant the world to us and Jasmin was much loved by all her colleagues. “She truly loved being cabin crew and beamed every time she stepped on board, wearing her uniform with such pride.
“Our deepest condolences are with his family and loved ones.”
