Posted on 12/07/2012 8:26:13 AM PST by SeekAndFind
In a sad and shocking twist, the nurse who works at the hospital where Kate Middleton was treated and who was reportedly duped by an Australian radio show has been found dead, and is suspected of killing herself.
The Daily Mail reports that the nurse was found unconscious at an address near the hospital, King Edward VII Hospital in Paddington, London. She was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. One source told the Mail that she appeared to have killed herself.
In a statement from the hospital, the nurse has been named as Jacintha Saldanha. She was described as the "victim of a hoax call". The hospital also says its staff "had been supporting her throughout this difficult time". The nurse was tricked by two Australian radio DJs, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, who called up the hospital pretending to be Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles.
Despite their laughable accents, the pair were transferred to Kate Middleton's room, where the mother-to-be was hospitalized with morning sickness. A woman named Vanessa gave the pair information on Middleton, who was apparently sleeping.
The BBC says that Saldanha was the nurse who answered the phone. She had not been reprimanded by the hospital for the incident.
The Royal College of Nursing, an organization that represents nurses in the UK, has issued a statement, with chief executive Dr Peter Carter saying it is "deeply saddening that a simple human error due to a cruel hoax could lead to the death of a dedicated and caring member of the nursing profession". Kate Middleton and Prince William have also said they are "deeply saddened" by the news.
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This is crazy! Why would she kill herself?
Death by Shock Jock
Sadly, a forever solution to a temporary problem.
Video has been removed by the internet police.
NHS honor killing?
i bet those guys are high-fiving each other for this PR win. idiots
Now I understand why this country has the “HIPA laws” on the books.
Being the UK, Good chance the Shock Jocks will be charged with her ‘murder’.
Problem is, the “shock jocks” live “down under”.
her life was worth more than thiers
The video won’t play. Says it’s private.
I don’t understand why she would be so distressed over putting the call through. Big whoopty do. It was a prank. Sounds to me like either Kate or the royal brigade reamed her out for it and that’s what got her so upset. Not enough info in the article to know what happened.
The prank may be what pushed her over the edge, but I’d guess the nurse had ongoing issues she was struggling with.
In any case, it’s sad for her and even more so for the loved ones she’s left behind.
I place the blame squarely on those two jerks who pulled this stunt. You take your victim/plaintif/sucker as you find them. Her reaction in no way diminishes their personal misconduct.
australia, i believe, has an extradition treaty with the UK.
even if they are only charged with manslaughter their location does not matter.
at a minimum their careers are done and over and they will never be able to travel outside of Austrailia.
The Brits take their royalty seriously. Any embarrassment is totally unacceptable. /sarc
She was the laughing stock of the world for a moment. In her mind she had no way to bounce back. She couldn't just "laugh it off:" it would always follow her. I'm sure it destroyed her professional concept of self.
It's deeply saddening. Such pranks are not funny.
‘Celebrity worship’ is an illness in and of itself; be they royalty, entertainment personalities, or sports figures. Get a grip, folks...
I’m very sad about her choice. Nurses are so precious, and even an average nurse saves lives every day. A bad day and a stupid
prank shouldn’t result in death. Very sad.
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