UK & World News
- 16 December 2012, 5:57
Royal Prank Call Nurse's Family 'Shattered'
The children of the nurse found dead days after taking a prank call say they are "shattered" by their loss.
Jacintha Saldanha was discovered in a nurses' accommodation block close to King Edward VII's Hospital, London, where the Duchess of Cambridge was treated for severe morning sickness.
The 46-year-old answered a phone call from Australian radio presenters Michael Christian and Mel Greig, who pretended to be Prince Charles and the Queen and asked for an update on the duchess's health.
A service for Ms Saldanha, a mother-of-two, was held at Westminster Cathedral on Saturday.
Outside, her daughter Lisha said: "We will miss your laughter, the loving memories and the good times we had together.
"We are shattered and there is an unfillable void in our lives.
"We love you mum. Sleep in peace and please watch over us until we meet again in heaven."
Ms Saldanha's husband Benedict Barboza said his wife was "the light of my darkness who always showed me the way forward".
"From the day we met, you always stood by me, in times of hardship and happiness," he said.
"Nineteen years of togetherness, with a strong bond of affection and understanding, will be cherished forever in my life."
Mr Barboza's son Junal added: "In times of difficulty, you showed us the way forward to happiness and success."
On Friday, John Lofthouse, chief executive of King Edward VII's Hospital, said staff had stood by Ms Saldanha and insisted the nurse was the "victim of a cruel trick".
Writing in reply to a letter sent by Keith Vaz MP, Mr Lofthouse said: "Jacintha believed that the call was genuine, and she felt it appropriate to put the call through. We stand by her judgement.
"Jacintha was reassured on a number of occasions by senior management that no blame was attached to her actions and that there were no disciplinary issues involved, because she had been the victim of a cruel trick."
Ms Saldanha's funeral will be held at a church in India on Monday.
An inquest into her death, which opened on Thursday, heard Ms Saldanha had hanged herself. She left two notes in her room and another among her personal possessions.
A provisional date of March 26 has been set for the next inquest hearing.
what do you think?
ali baba
jimmy your spot on dianas death is clouded, and to me looks very much like an honor killing, the same things people on here rant about being barbarian when other races carry it out their own higher echelons carry out these barbarian actions imagine the future king of england having a brother called Ali :)
Robin Van Der Spiegel
We'll never know Ali, personally I find it highly unlikely but we've all got our own opinions
ali baba
Sadly you are right robin. But I think r great grandkids will know
jimmyjedi1979
Go and watch 'unlawful killing' ali. Diana was murdered.
Andrea Hill
rubbish
jimmyjedi1979
That's what your heads full of Andrea. Stop watching tv and think for yourself
Robin Van Der Spiegel
Jimmy what makes your opinion any better than andrea's? Why do you insist on insulting people who disagree with you? Sad
jimmyjedi1979
Mainly because she has a racist undertone. Generally intolerant of others. And just ignorant really. Is that a good enough answer?
Robin Van Der Spiegel
Honestly? I've never seen anything in her posts to suggest that but if that's your opinion. You haven't answered my second question.
jimmyjedi1979
I am intolerant of intolerance. and don't ever believe a word i say. Look into things yourself young man.
Andrea Hill
jimmijedi1979, you are so ignorant. i work with indian people, phillipines, africans and i get on with them all. keep your insulting connents to yourself, jimmy whatever you are.
ali baba
Robin check out a few things by Adam Curtis. You can see his films on "thought maybe" on the net
shaun spencer
Id like to know how this nurse had a special mass for her in westminster cathedrial.i thought this was for lords, dames sirs.bascially peaple who have made an outstanding contribution to this country.the last nurse a mass was held for was florence nightingale.
Londliveengland 66
For Sirs? All the Sirs at the moment seem to be kiddy fiddlers
Bazil Brush
norhing said about what was in suicide notes very strange
shaun spencer
I know one critizises the hospital.but thats it
krafty81
What about ths nurse that actually gave the details out? It's all very bizarre
Andrea Hill
she.s coped with it all better, everyone different
jimmyjedi1979
6:08pm on 15/12/2012
Suicide? Yeah right hahaha! Also see the new documentary banned in the UK about dianas suspicious accident.. Search for Keith Allan, unlawful killing.
Robin Van Der Spiegel
6:38pm on 15/12/2012
Yay jimmy you got yourself another conspiracy theory to bore people with. Good for you kid, good for you.
jimmyjedi1979
7:17pm on 15/12/2012
Robin 'if its not written in The Sun its a conspiracy theory' van der speiegel. Funny thing is that old conspiracy line now has the opposite effect- you people that believe the official accounts for our day to day news are the nutters. Now go and watch the Xfactor!
Robin Van Der Spiegel
7:39pm on 15/12/2012
Ha ha ok Jim. For your info I dont read the sun or any paper as I don't believe any of them provide an impartial account of the worlds news. As for you, if I'm the nutter and people like you are considered normal then all I have to day is wibble wibble!
jimmyjedi1979
7:52pm on 15/12/2012
Interesting you claim you don't abide by the mainstream yet that's the very substance that oozes from your every reply. The Sun, BBC, SKY, its all the same by the way.. Oh wait! Its just a coincidence you just happen to be in harmony with the repugnant, corrupt, lying media. Another conspiracy eh? Ha ha. Cold shower now!
Robin Van Der Spiegel
8:05pm on 15/12/2012
Says the man who believes everything he reads on the internet? How is that different? By the way just to pass the time, why do you not believe this poor lady's death was suicide?
jimmyjedi1979
8:23pm on 15/12/2012
I don't believe anything unless i look into it in depth. The internet is all you need surely! You have all the mainstream tripe, plus all the independent stuff, plus going straight to the source, plus the viral truth hunter groups. People like you read the daily rag and that's where your opinions are formed. Hence why you are small minded cattle. Sorry to be blunt, but you people are dangerous. Not that you know it of course.
Robin Van Der Spiegel
8:52pm on 15/12/2012
You're like a stuck record mate, you're repertoire only seems to involve calling people sheep, that they form their opinions from the s*n, and are small.minded cattle. Yet when I give you a chance to explain your wild theories you completely avoid the question. I would return the favour and call you dangerous but in truth you're not. You come across as a sad lonely man looking for attention. Nice talking to you.
jimmyjedi1979
9:03pm on 15/12/2012
You give me a chance to explain? Oh thank you so much robin. I really appreciate that. And im not here to explain anything to anyone least of all some gobsmith that thinks he can get a rise out of someone by calling them sad and lonely. If i were would that make you happy? I bet it would. Of course it would. Look into things for yourself, don't be sheepish. :)
Angharad Fennell
9:33pm on 15/12/2012
Yep he did. So answer the question. How was this tragic event not a suicide then. How did 'they' get her?
jimmyjedi1979
9:54pm on 15/12/2012
The fact no one not even her own kids believe it. She left a 'typed' suicide note, left a family devastated for the rest of their lives over what? A victim of a prank call? Please.
ali baba
10:02pm on 15/12/2012
Jimmy what's your reasoning behind this nurse being bumped odd. I can't see why anyone would want her dead mate.
Andrea Hill
11:42pm on 15/12/2012
your one of these daft people who have to dramatise everything, cant be an accident(diana), suicide( nurse). got to be a conspiracy.