Duchess of Cambridge hoax call nurse found dead

[the_ultimate_evil]

A nurse at a London hospital who took a hoax call about the Duchess of Cambridge has been found dead.

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge said in a statement they were "deeply saddened" by the death of the nurse, named as Jacintha Saldanha.

King Edward VII hospital paid tribute to "a first class nurse" who was the "victim of a hoax call."

Details of the pregnant duchess's medical condition were unwittingly revealed to two Australian DJs.

The DJs, from Sydney radio station 2Day FM - which says it is preparing a statement - posed as the Queen and Prince Charles.

The duchess had been admitted on Monday for acute morning sickness, and was discharged on Thursday.
'Excellent nurse'

BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said he understood Mrs Saldanha was the person who answered the call from the Australian DJs and was not the nurse who discussed the duchess's medical condition.
Duke and Duchess of Cambridge The duchess left the hospital on Thursday

Mrs Saldanha, a duty nurse, answered the telephone because it was 05:30 GMT in the morning and there was no receptionist on duty.

The BBC understands Mrs Saldanha had not been suspended or disciplined by the hospital.

The St James's Palace statement said the duke and duchess "were looked after so wonderfully well at all times by everybody at King Edward VII Hospital, and their thoughts and prayers are with Jacintha Saldanha's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad time".

A palace spokesman later added that "at no point did the palace complain to the hospital about the incident".

"On the contrary, we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times."

In a statement outside the hospital, King Edward VII chief executive John Lofthouse said: "We can confirm that Jacintha was recently the victim of a hoax call to the hospital.

"The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time."

He added: "Jacintha has worked at the King Edward VII's Hospital for more than four years.

"She was an excellent nurse and well-respected and popular with all of her colleagues."

Scotland Yard said officers were called at 09:35 GMT on Friday after reports of a woman found unconscious at an address in central London.

They said the death is not being treated as suspicious.

for the ones who dont know 2 Australian radio dj's put on the worst queen and charles impressions and got put through to kates private line. that was a few days ago now this "suicide"

 

[The Question]

If you're implying the royal family had a woman murdered for falling for a prank and connecting a call from the wrong person, that's completely ridiculous.

 

[the_ultimate_evil]

If you're implying the royal family had a woman murdered for falling for a prank and connecting a call from the wrong person, that's completely ridiculous.

it was kinda implied in jest only. you know people will have conspiracy theorys about royalty and this is ripe for people like that

 

[The Question]

Yeah. People tend to forget that these days, the royal family has about as much power in the UK as Mr. Met has over the New York Mets. They really are just the national mascot.


Anyway, horrible what happened to the nurse.

 

[The Infernal]

This is certainly a bizarre one. I've seen it on the news a few times, no real details (if any) about her death. They've largely been focusing on her connection to Kate Middleton and that no one from the Royal family had actually complained, but had actually offered the hospital their support. Prince Charles was seen joking something along the lines of "don't you know, I have a radio station?" when asked about it (before the death of the nurse, obviously).

Apparently the two dj's are suspended until further notice from the radio station.

 

[Sawyer]

Damn... all this, just because of one prank phone call.

 

[Duran Man]

Does anyone know where I can listen to the prank?

EDIT: I just heard a bit of it. I thought it was funny. It's a shame that nurse took it so seriously.

 

[The Infernal]

Damn... all this, just because of one prank phone call.

That's just it. We don't know. Actual details are scarce. I'd be pretty surprised if it was, the Royal's didn't complain and the nurse wasn't disciplined according to the hospital's official statement.

Does anyone know where I can listen to the prank?

EDIT: I just heard a bit of it. I thought it was funny. It's a shame that nurse took it so seriously.

Maybe I'm missing something, but I've yet to see details reported anywhere that she took her own life and that it was due to the prank call. From what I've seen of the news reports they've all left out any real details about her death (though I imagine at this early stage they're possibly still confirming things or aren't privy to some details).

 

[Spade]

I get the outrage, but not the subtle game of hot potato people are playing. So on Wednesday, this prank exposed gross incompetence on the hospital's part, and they needed to re-evaluate their policies on confidentiality, possibly sacking some nurses if need be. Now, after someone has senselessly died as a result of the scrutiny this brought, it's a horrible tragedy and only the shock jocks and their station are at fault here? Surely it has nothing to do with the hype that's turned a pregnancy into an international blitz for the next scoop? It's passing the buck.

 

[CapedCrusader14]

I just listened to the tape. Those were some extremely phony impersonations. Can't believe anyone would actually fall for those.

Shows that the hospital seems to have some obvious incompetency issues. It's sad that someone died because all of this.

 

[antsman41]

We need Freddie Lyon on the case...

 

[bullets]

I just listened to the tape. Those were some extremely phony impersonations. Can't believe anyone would actually fall for those.

Shows that the hospital seems to have some obvious incompetency issues. It's sad that someone died because all of this.

I just had surgery this week and the nurse had me set-up a password for security. If someone called to ask about my condition they needed to say the password.

I'm surprised this wasn't done for The Duchess of all people. I guess the receptionist was too starstruck.

 

[The Infernal]

I just had surgery this week and the nurse had me set-up a password for security. If someone called to ask about my condition they needed to say the password.

I'm surprised this wasn't done for The Duchess of all people. I guess the receptionist was too starstruck.

Receptionist wasn't there. The nurse in question picked up the phone in her absence, she wouldn't have known the protocol. Though saying that the news did mention that the protocol with the Royals shouldn't have allowed for that and that any information should have came through the police that were there.

 

[Pink Ranger]

The radio prank was juvenile, but radio stations across the entire English-speaking world do this 24 hours a day. I don't think anybody could reasonably tie the prank to the cause of death directly.

 

[Schlosser85]

Am I missing something, or is everyone baselessly assuming this woman committed suicide because of....what....embarrassment at falling for a prank call??

 

[The Infernal]

Am I missing something, or is everyone baselessly assuming this woman committed suicide because of....what....embarrassment at falling for a prank call??

I think that's what people are assuming. Thing is the news aren't giving any idea of how she died, but I can see how people are getting the impression since the narrative does focus quite heavily on the connection to the hospital and the prank and little else.

Also I heard the radio station's webpage is being bombarded with hostile messages aimed at the station and the DJ's (who are on indefinite suspension and are being offered counseling). I have to wonder just how many of those sending their hatemail have any connection to the story or actually know the full details themselves. I'm guessing, precious few.

 

[bullets]

Am I missing something, or is everyone baselessly assuming this woman committed suicide because of....what....embarrassment at falling for a prank call??

Yes. I don't think we'll ever know why she really did it. I would assume fear of losing her job and shame from the incident could of been the last draw , but like The Infernal was saying , there's not much to go on.

 

[The Infernal]

Well as I was saying earlier, the news on tv aren't really mentioning the circumstances of her death. However I've just been to the shops and The Sun newspaper are reporting it as a suicide, so I expect they're pretty sure on it since they've plastered that headline all over their front page.

Though that does feel somewhat at odds with the BBC showing interviews with her family in India where they state that even they are in the dark as to what has happened.

 

[JJJ's Ulcer]

If she killed herself over this, she would have killed herself over something else eventually. The prank call was the trigger, but she was probably already suicidal.

I love the media's hypocrisy in pouncing all over the Aussie DJs just 15 years after some aggressive paparazzi directly or indirectly caused Diana's fatal car crash in that Paris tunnel. That's real blood on hands.

 

[Optimus_Prime_]

Kate Middleton has soon nice lady boobs.

 

[Spade]

If you approach this with logic, it makes no sense to kill yourself over this. But suicide's an emotive act. Logic doesn't always apply.

I love the media's hypocrisy in pouncing all over the Aussie DJs just 15 years after some aggressive paparazzi directly or indirectly caused Diana's fatal car crash in that Paris tunnel. That's real blood on hands.

Pretty much.

 

[Mace Dolex]

So the nurse that answered the phony call committed suicide, right?

I haven't listened to the prank call or know if it's been leaked but was the phony call praising the hospital staff or were they unhappy with them?

 

[Spade]

Neither. The hosts posed as Elizabeth and Charles to find out Middleton's condition. They made fun of the hospital staff later for not realizing it was a prank.

 

[Lencho01]

http://news.yahoo.com/nurse-died-kate-hoax-call-india-112732051.html

Nurse who died after Kate hoax call was from India

By By SYLVIA HUI | Associated Press – 18 hrs ago

LONDON (AP) — A nurse found dead days after she took a crank call about the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge was originally from India, British police said Saturday, as details began to trickle out about the woman whose death has sparked anger at the Australian radio DJs behind the hoax.

Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found dead early Friday at nurses' housing provided by London's King Edward VII hospital, where Prince William's wife, the former Kate Middleton, was being treated for acute morning sickness this week.

Police released a grainy photo of Saldanha on Saturday. She had lived in Bristol in southwestern England with her family for the past nine years, Scotland Yard confirmed.

Police said her death is being treated as "unexplained," though they said they didn't find anything suspicious. A coroner will make a determination on the cause next week.

Police have made no connection between her death and the prank call, but people from London to Sydney have been making the assumption that she died because of stress from the call.

Flowers were left outside the hospital's nurses' building. Attached to the red, white and blue flowers, a note read: "Dear Jacintha, our thoughts are with you and your family. From all your fellow nurses, we bless your soul. God bless."

A man identified as Saldanha's driving instructor Jeff Sellick, told Sky News he was in "complete shock" at her death, saying "it's just such a shame, she was such a nice person."

In a statement, Saldanha's family said they were "deeply saddened" by the death and asked for privacy.

Saldanha had worked for four years at the hospital. She took the hoax call Tuesday by the two DJs from 2DayFM, and transferred the call to the nurse caring for the duchess.

During the call, a woman using the often-mimicked voice of Britain's monarch asked about the duchess' health. She was told by the second nurse who took the call from Saldanha that the duchess, the former Kate Middleton, "hasn't had any retching with me and she's been sleeping on and off."

The recorded conversation sparked international headlines, and the DJs, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, soon apologized for the prank. They have said they will not return to the station until further notice, though the chief executive of the station's parent company has said he stands behind them.

The Australian Communications and Media Authority, which regulates radio broadcasting, says it has received complaints about the prank and is discussing the matter with the Sydney-based station, though it has not yet begun an investigation.

The station has a history of controversy, including a series of "Heartless Hotline" shows in which disadvantage people were offered a prize that could be taken away from them by listeners.

St. James's Palace, the office of the duchess and her husband Prince William, expressed sadness at Saldanha's death, but insisted that it had not complained about the hoax. King Edward VII's Hospital said it did not reprimand Saldanha, nor had plans to discipline her.

Officials from St. James's Palace have said the duchess is not yet 12 weeks pregnant. The child would be the first for her and William.

 

[Raoul Duke]

she obviously wasn't perfectly right in the head to begin with.