Agencies/Bangalore
The family of the Indian-origin nurse who died after being hoaxed by an Australian radio show trying to reach Prince William’s wife in London said they were shocked to hear the “horrible news.”
Jacintha Saldanha, 46, had answered a prank call at the King Edward VII hospital that was treating Prince William’s pregnant wife Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge for morning sickness.
She had put the call from the station through to a colleague, who relayed details about Kate’s condition which made headlines around the globe. Saldanha was later found dead in staff accommodation.
Her family living in Shirva town, 400km from the southern city of Bangalore said they could not believe Jacintha was capable of taking her own life.
“We were shocked to hear from her husband (Benedict Barboza) that Jacintha was no more. He did not tell us that she committed suicide,” Jacintha’s sister-in-law, Irene D’Souza said.
“It is hard to believe Jacintha could commit suicide, as she was not such a woman to do it.”
D’Souza said Jacintha was planning to come to India to celebrate Christmas with the family who were all planning a big party.
“But today we are going to the church to pray for her soul and for her children who are going through a bad time,” she said.
“We came to know about it only through media and news channels on TV. Our mother (Carmine Barboza, 82,) is inconsolable,” D’Souza said.
“We didn’t even know that Jacintha got unwittingly involved in the hoax call though we read something about it in newspapers last week that there was a prank call to the hospital from a radio station in Australia, whose jockeys tried to know about the princess’ health by imitating the voice of the queen and prince,” Saldhana’s nephew said, but declined to be named.
The bereaved family is waiting for Barboza to complete the formalities in London to bring the body here this week.
“Benedict wants to bring Jacintha’s body to India for burial at Shirva. We are waiting to know when he would be able to come so that all other family members could join us for prayers and last rites,” D’Souza said.
Barboza’s four sisters Irene, Janet, Severine and Mary live at Shirva and Mangalore.
Saldhana, who graduated from Father Muller College of Nursing in Mangalore in the mid-eighties, first worked in Muscat for a few years and went to London after marriage 15 years ago to live with Barboza, an accountant at a supermarket at Bristol, 190km from London.
Staff at the college described her as very dedicated. “Jacintha was a very efficient, intelligent and lively personality, who had won laurels in her nursing studies,” said Reverend Sister Aileen Mathias, chief nursing officer at the nursing college.
While media are calling Saldhanha’s death a suspected suicide, the police, ahead of an autopsy next week, are saying it remains unexplained, though they are not treating it as suspicious.
Over 300 people attended the memorial service for Jacintha held in Shriva yesterday.
“Jacintha enjoyed her work and she was committed to her job and her family life was normal too. She must have been very disturbed to take such a drastic step,” said Jacintha’s cousin, Mary.
“She had plans to start a nursing centre in India and encouraged several young girls to study medicine. Her positive energy made all the difference.”
William and Kate, who left the hospital last week said they were “deeply saddened” by the death of the nurse.
Saldanha lived with her husband and two children in the western English city of Bristol. She had moved to Britain from India around 12 years ago.
Saldanha and her family were active members of the expatriate Konkani community in the UK. At a Konkani Community Association Christmas celebration in 2009, they were voted family of the day.