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Subscribe to RSSUpdated at 2:33 p.m. ET: A nurse duped by a prank call made to the hospital where Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, was treated for an extreme form of morning sickness was found dead Friday morning, the hospital said in a statement.
Two Australian DJs, Mel Greig and Michael Christian of Sydney station 2Day FM, called the hospital earlier this week and pretended to be Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles asking to be put through to the ward. They were then given an update on Kate’s health by a nurse.
The woman’s body was found at an address in Weymouth Street, London, which is around the corner from King Edward VII Hospital on Beaumont Street. Police described the circumstance of her death as "unexplained."
“It is with very deep sadness that we confirm the tragic death of a member of our nursing staff, Jacintha Saldanha,” said the statement, which was released by the hospital's public relations firm.
Radio DJs impersonate royals, get lowdown on Kate
“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,” it said.
An official at King Edward VII's Hospital said the nurse who got caught up by the Kate Middleton hoax call was found dead. Jacintha Saldanha, who worked at the hospital for more than four years, was noted as an "excellent" colleague.
“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,” it added.
A statement released by Saldanha's family asks that the media respect their privacy at this difficult time.
Many took to the radio station’s Facebook page, posting strong-worded comments criticizing the DJs’ behavior.
“Wherever you sit, just beg forgiveness,” a commenter named Mel Lacey posted.
“They should be sacked for the awful way they are handling the results of this prank,” William Stead, another user, wrote on the page.
Media company Southern Cross Austereo (SCA) and 2Day FM released a statement saying they "are deeply saddened by the tragic news of the death of nurse Jacintha Saldanha from King Edward VII's Hospital and we extend our deepest sympathies to her family and all that have been affected by this situation around the world."
NBC's Keir Simmons has more on the situation surrounding the death of a nurse in Britain who recently received a prank call for Duchess Kate.
The statement went on to say that CEO Rhys Holleran had spoken with the two DJs, who are "deeply shocked and at this time we have agreed that they not comment about the circumstances. SCA and the hosts have decided that they will not return to their radio show until further notice out of respect for what can only be described as a tragedy."
Duke, Duchess 'deeply saddened'
A spokesman for St. James's Palace said that William, the Duke of Cambridge, and Kate were “deeply saddened” by Saldanha's death.
King Edward VII Hospital in London is still reeling from being seriously punked by two radio DJs who called and spoke to Kate's nurse. Meanwhile, the two Australians DJs apologized for their hoax. NBC's Michelle Kosinski reports.
“Their Royal Highnesses 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,” the spokesman added.
John Lofthouse, chief executive at King Edward VII's Hospital, was quoted as saying in the statement that "our thoughts and deepest sympathies at this time are with her family and friends."
Duchess Kate discharged from the hospital
"Everyone is shocked by the loss of a much loved and valued colleague," he added.
Lord Glenarthur, chairman of King Edward VII's Hospital, said Saldanha was "a first-class nurse who cared diligently for hundreds of patients during her time with us."
"She will be greatly missed," he said.
The police and ambulance services said the woman, who they did not name, was dead when they arrived.
“Police were called at approximately 9:35 [a.m. local time, 4:35 a.m. ET] Friday … to reports of a woman found unconscious at an address in Weymouth Street,” a spokeswoman for London’s Metropolitan Police told NBC News.
“London Ambulance Service attended and the woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Inquiries continue to establish the circumstances of the incident,” she added.
The police spokeswoman said the death was being treated as “unexplained” until an autopsy was carried out.
Olivia Harris/Reuters
Police officers walk outside King Edward VII hospital, central London, Friday.
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Leave a Comment:
Do they read their own story? SHE WAS THE ONE WHO GOT DUPED BY THE CALL!
NUMBER 1 It's not the fact that she may have killed herself because of the DJ's you have to remember the media as well Look at what happen to Diana. So, she could of had a heart attack or the media wouldn't leave her alone. And prank's can lead to this look at the high school rates. So for those's DJ's I hope you feel bad,REALLY BAD because no matter what you started it and you could of ended the call.
If the death was the result of a suicide which was the result of the prank by the two DJs, I hope those two learned a lesson in life...but it was way too costly a lesson, in my opinion...needless nonsense, all for the sake of ratings or "having a good time"
Are the DJs still laughing or are they doing a little sweating now?
Her family should use bullying laws to sue the world news media for a Trillion Dollars and shut down every news outlet that bullied her!
Well, it would be nice to see every media outlet shut down. Or burnt down. But impractical.
To those saying a practical joke is no big deal, I can tell you from personal experience that things like timing and state of mind for the victim are important. I had a mental breakdown from a practical joke many years again and became suicidal for five years. Even I thought my reaction was extreme and took years to understand it, but it is what it is. You never know what can make someone snap. Either way, you shouldn't trivialize it just because you think you can't be broken.
Sad as this is folks, lets not jump to conclusions. We don't know yet what the cause of death is.
Panic on the streets of London Panic on the streets of Birmingham I wonder to myself Could life ever be sane again ? The Leeds side-streets that you slip down I wonder to myself Hopes may rise on the Grasmere But Honey Pie, you're not safe here So you run down To the safety of the town But there's Panic on the streets of Carlisle Dublin, Dundee, Humberside I wonder to myself Burn down the disco Hang the blessed DJ Because the music that they constantly play IT SAYS NOTHING TO ME ABOUT MY LIFE Hang the blessed DJ Because the music they constantly play On the Leeds side-streets that you slip down Provincial towns you jog 'round Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ HANG THE DJ, HANG THE DJ Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ, Hang the DJ HANG THE DJ -The Smiths
What's really important is the little dutchess is over her morning sickness and all is well in the Kingdom . What is ironic is the dutchess gets morning sickness and is rushed to the hospital and the nurse dies from it.
What a bitchy comment!
You must be very proud of yourself.
-god..........Well why don't you just tell me what happened.
psp learn to spell or use your spell checker
Faye- .......Is the spell checker next to ,"How to begin and end a sentence?"
Obviously posted by a man who has never had Hyperemesis. I had it with all three of my pregnancies (that's how I knew I was pregnant the third time!) It's not just a little thing. You become debilitatingly ill, to the point that you become so dehydrated that your life, and that of your fetus, become endanger. You can die from dehydration, sir. You can go into cardiac arrest because your potassium and electrolytes become depleted. They have to hook you up to an IV and treat you with anti-nausea drugs AND monitor your fetus. Trust me, no fun. Usually, it only hits in first pregnancies but it can continue in subsequent pregnancies (don't I know it).
You made a bitchy comment. That's what happened.
You're not very smart.
-god.........you're not very smart............the so called Royal family is well protected, the poor nurse ,with two children, who was a working woman who made the mistake of answering the phone that day had no protection.....and by the way you are a bully.
This is not the fault of the royal family so what is your effing point...of course they are well protected, they are the royal family and their filthy rich so they are just like all the rest of the filthy rich people in the world. if you were born or married into the royal family, would you turn down the money and proctection?? I think effing not!
What is it with all the sub-human posters today???
I agree that if she committed suicide over this, then she was probably one who could do it over anything. But those DJ's still have blood on their hands. They will have to live with that.
Yeah, sometimes when you fire a bullet into the air it comes down and hits someone. And that's your fault.
If she was sacked - that would have been the ultimate injustice - she, like most of us are human - it was not too long ago that a person could call the hospital to check on a patient - the DJ's were silly, but if she was fired or even reprimanded - by either the hospital or the royals - well, then, I consider them the real culprit.
You all are freaking idiots… You’re the ones that caused this nurse to take her life! If you weren’t so caught up with these two people on what they do every minute of every single day, this would not have happened. Your actions on finding out every possible thing about them are feeding the Media, and the Tabloids. And that is why the DJs called the hospital and tricked the nurse to get an update; it was to feed you FOOLS!!! This nurse didn’t what to be harassed or made fun of and that’s probably why she took her life! How many more people are you willing to kill too get the information that you’re obsess over? You would think that you learned your lesson when Princess Diana lost her life…. How sad, every single one of you!
....us...
Dude, we don't control the media ... they control us. They don't feed the beast what it wants, they feed it what they want. Don't blame us, blame the conglomerates, blame Rupert. Of course if the media gave the world what it needs we would live in utopia, but that would also mean you'd all have to stop killing each other outside gas stations every Saturday night.
It may come as a surprise to many, but there are still some, who are very private, sensitive individuals; and they take their charges seriously. If it turns out this nurse offed herself because of a prank, it just means she lived by a set of convictions far beyond most now know, and by codes once honored in society (tho obviously not amongst the internet beaks).
If she just fell down the stairs, had a cardiac, or choked, I wish Jacintha godspeed.
Not sure about Englands rules..but here in the USA I couldn't get info over the phone about my wife who was very sick in hospital. Was told to go in person show ID and fill out forms to get info.
The hospitals here require a password. Works very well.
Did you claim to be Queen Elizabeth?
Wow
I truly hope those two idiots are proud of themselves. I knew the poor nurse was going to pay for this cruel prank I just did not think this would be the way. Because of patient confidentiality she was probably fired and she became very distraught and could not face her family, friends (and people who probably were very snide to her). To her family and friends I am so sorry for your loss. I don't know if I could forgive those two idiots but I hope I could and I hope you can.
Well we can close this case now, you are just to smart Sherlock.
The hospital did not discipline the nurse in any fashion. they have supported her after the call.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20645838
Pranks are always at someone else's expense. People like these DJs need to remember that. Not all people can laugh off a prank as "lighthearted" when they are on the receiving end of one.
could be royal prant to gt back at them. Hopefuly the nurse and Ashton Kutcher are huddled up somewhere ready to pounce for some payback.
"The hospital had been supporting her throughout this difficult time." is code for "We have had HR rip her a new one repeatedly, made her feel about 2 feet tall, threatened her job and told her she was on her own when the Royals pressed charges / pursued legal action."
Pretty clearly cause and effect. After the event she was embarrased, then coworkers made fun of her, supervisor's perhaps talked about her being demoted or fired or reassigned and this was added to her other problems she was having, whatever they might have been. Nobody intended to push her too far but the total effect was too much for her.
That is too big of a coincidence. Suicide? Give me a break. She was done in, most likely by the Crown. They couldn't kill the DJs because they are too well-known. Better to focus the wrath on someone more forgetable- no disrespect to Saldanha or her family intended.
According to the BBC, she WAS NOT THE NURSE WHO GAVE OUT THE INFORMATION. She only answered the phone and transferred the call to the correct nurse who handled the Duchess. This comes straight from the BBC and NBC should be ashamed for bypassing this vital piece of fact. Another major problem with American news......don't let facts get in the way of a sensational story!
Quote from BBC News:
"BBC royal correspondent Peter Hunt said he understood Mrs Saldanha - who was married with two children - was the person who answered the call from the Australian DJs and was not the nurse who discussed the duchess's medical condition."
What if she didn't commit suicide and it was made to look like it? I think I might know who Jack the Ripper really was now.
I am unpersuaded that this case represents a suicide.
Perhaps those DJ should be discharged. Pranks that cause this type of ramification should be dealth with. They thought it funny....the nurses family as well as the Duchess probably don't find this funny either.