enlightening notification: Royal prank call: Duped nurse was found hanging

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Royal prank call: Duped nurse was found hanging

By NBC News' Keir Simmons and wire reports

Updated at 6:20 a.m. ET: LONDON ? The nurse duped by two Australian radio show hosts into putting through a prank call to the hospital ward of the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge was found hanging by a scarf from a wardrobe, an official said Thursday.

AFP - Getty Images

Nurse Jacintha Saldanha was found dead days after being hoaxed by an Australian radio show.

Jacintha Saldanha, 46, was found by a colleague and a member of security staff?at King Edward VII?s Hospital in the British capital on Friday, coroner's officer Lynda Martindill told a formal hearing into the circumstances of her death called an inquest.

Police detective chief inspector James Harman told the hearing that the married mother-of-two had injuries to her wrists.?

He also said that three handwritten notes were found, two at the scene and one among her belongings.?

As well as examining the notes, Harman said police were interviewing her friends, family and colleagues and looking at emails and phone calls to establish what led to her death, The Associated Press reported.

At the brief hearing, Coroner Fiona Wilcox opened and then adjourned the inquest until March 26 without making a ruling. Police have previously described the death as "unexplained."

Nurse who was duped by prank call about Duchess Kate found dead

Saldanha put the hoax call through to a colleague who disclosed details of the care given to Kate, who was being treated for acute morning sickness at the hospital.

The prank call by Sydney radio station 2Day FM made headlines around the world, as did news that Saldanha had died.

Southern Cross Austereo, the station?s parent company, has apologized for the stunt and said on Tuesday it would donate its advertising revenue until the end of the year to a fund for Saldanha's family, with a minimum contribution of about $525,000.

Still in shock that nurse Jacintha Saldhana took her life after being tricked by the Australian radio hosts' imitation of the Queen, the two DJs – whose radio show has been canceled – said they are 'gutted' and 'heartbroken.' NBC's Keir Simmons reports.

Royal prank radio station to pay $525,000 to family of dead nurse

However, British lawmaker Keith Vaz told Reuters that he had written to Southern Cross to express his dissatisfaction.

"There has been no written apology, no request for a meeting with the family and no attempt to travel to the United Kingdom to express contrition," Vaz wrote in a letter to Southern Cross chief executive Rhys Holleran that he released to the media.

"I would be grateful if you could let me know how you arrived at this figure and why you think this adequately deals with this serious and important issue," Vaz wrote.