Royal hospital nurse who took hoax call from DJs found dead

[Prunepicker]

Australian radio presenters taken off air after suspected suicide of
mother-of-two

Not too funny if you ask me.

From the Guardian
A nurse at the private hospital treating the pregnant Duchess of
Cambridge has been found dead in a suspected suicide three days
after being duped by two Australian radio presenters in a hoax call.

The body of Jacintha Saldanha, 46, a mother of two teenage children,
was found at her lodgings close to the King Edward VII hospital,
central London, at 9.25am on Friday.

It is understood Saldanha, who lived with her family in Bristol but had
worked at the London hospital for four years, was the staff member
who had answered a telephone call at 5.30am on Tuesday from
Sydney's 2Day FM presenters posing as the Queen and the Prince of
Wales. Believing them to be genuine, she had put the call through to
a duty nurse, who then divulged intimate medical details of the
duchess's condition to the presenters.

[soonerguru]

This is a sad story.

[Mel]

I'm surprised there wasn't a more secure protocol to get past the front desk. Very sad about the nurse and especially her two children.
With Australia being part of the U.K. I hope they seek some sort of legal action against those two.

[Prunepicker]

I'm surprised there wasn't a more secure protocol to get past the front desk.
Very sad about the nurse and especially her two children.
With Australia being part of the U.K. I hope they seek some sort of legal
action against those two.

Apparently trust is an important ideology to the Britains.

I believe something will be done to the pranksters. I hope the term
prankster doesn't descend to the plane of the uneducated masses.

[ljbab728]

What kind of legal action would they be liable for? While tragic, the death of the nurse had nothing to do with them. I have listened to a local radio station calling the University of Texas athletic department pretending to be someone they weren't while playing a joke. Unless you're trying to do something illegal there should be no liability.

[Prunepicker]

Apparently the term prankster has descended to the plane of the
uneducated masses.

[WilliamTell]

something just seems very suspicious about this death. im not thinking that the royal family had her killed (from outward appearances william and kate seem they would just laugh it off), but maybe somebody in the family or a fanatical brit decided to do the nurse in for her lapse of judgement.
just seems so weird for a middle aged mother of 2 with a perfect work history to commit suicide.

as far as the radio crew goes, i think its a stretch that they are legally responsible. fired, from their work - ok (no one will argue with that). but not criminal.

[Mel]

I do not know much about U.K. law I must admit. Trying to mess around the Royal Family might have graver consequences than messing with a subject of the Crown. I was thinking some type of manslaughter charge or anything that will put a permanent splotch on their records. Maybe a come to Jesus meeting with a squad of S.A.S.

[BBatesokc]

Privacy laws are more strict over there from my understanding. I wonder if a 'obtaining information under false pretenses'; or something similar would apply. Or a privacy violation against the DJ's for obtaining and broadcasting private medical information.

As for conspiracy theories that someone had her killed - I think that's a bit insane. I think the nurse most likely took her position very seriously and felt she had caused great harm in her laxed judgement.

[boscorama]

Who, for sure, committed suicide? The one who first answered and transferred the call, or the one who gave the information? I've heard both.

A prank phone call, even on the radio, should never have gone so far, but I can't fault the perps for that.

Either way, imagine yourself (nurse/victim) being heard worldwide, repeatedly, screwing up regarding Kate's pregnancy, especially in that Royal-obsessed place, OMG, what a mindf*k!

[ljbab728]

Apparently the term prankster has descended to the plane of the
uneducated masses.

Yes, you would be an expert about that evidently.

[Hawk405359]

What kind of legal action would they be liable for? While tragic, the death of the nurse had nothing to do with them. I have listened to a local radio station calling the University of Texas athletic department pretending to be someone they weren't while playing a joke. Unless you're trying to do something illegal there should be no liability.

Whether they intended to or not, they basically committed fraud to get someone else's private medical information. I don't know if the UK or Australia have their own version of HIPPA, but I'd be shocked if you could legally do that.

I doubt they could get charged for the suicide, but for the rest of it, I'm pretty sure they could.

[PennyQuilts]

Okay, so I admit, I thought it was a funny prank even though I don't think anyone should do anything, deliberately, that could reasonably cause stress to a pregnant mom to be. I didn't see that they gave out embarassing information and the whole thing was so absurd that I'm surprised anyone fell for it.

All that being said, it is just horrible that the poor nurse killed herself. I can only imagine that if there is even a connection, this was a straw that broke the camel's back because, standing alone, I couldn't see someone harming themselves over this. Yes, they shouldn't have done it. But on the other hand, if nothing bad happened, most would have just had a laugh about it, later, we wouldn't think it was such a big deal. Tragic.

[Prunepicker]

I believe this should be one of those live and learn examples. I don't
believe the perps had any thought of someone committing suicide. I hope
they don't create a bunch of anti-Liberty laws under the guise of we need
to do something!

This was a fluke. Live and learn.

[Hawk405359]

I don't know if they need to create any specific laws. I think current fraud laws would cover it, although admittedly, I don't know British or Aussie law on things like this.

[Prunepicker]

I don't know if they need to create any specific laws. I think current fraud
laws would cover it, although admittedly, I don't know British or Aussie law
on things like this.

Since 9/11 and the extraordinary and totally unnecessary laws that were
passed because of "we need to do something. Anything!" I can't help but
think that the dumbed down masses think laws should be made in order to
attempt, but fail, to prevent these sort of things.

[Hawk405359]

I think we're talking about 2 different things. I think you're talking about not holding them criminally liable for the suicide, in which case I agree. They shouldn't be liable for that.

I'm talking about them claiming they were someone else and getting private medical information, which I'm pretty sure is illegal in the UK (and know is illegal in the US).

[Stew]

Why is this newsworthy in the USA?

[BBatesokc]

Why is this newsworthy in the USA?

I think it absolutely news worthy here in the USA. For one, its pretty big international news, so obviously it should be covered here too. Second, I think its a cautionary tale that some in this country should be reminded.

I'm still amazed nothing disastrous has happened during a taping of punk'd, Jackass or some other similar prank show.

As I eluded to before - I certainly think civil liability applies, but criminal should be minor if at all.

I also think its pretty unrealistic for any of us to try and put ourselves in the nurses shoes. That said, countless US citizens commit suicide over similar situations or even more 'trivial' ones.

[sacolton]

First of all, I thought the "joke" was tasteless and disrespectful.

Secondly, I think the blame shouldn't be on the radio hosts, but the hospital administration who probably gave the nurse a harsh talk about her being so gullible. Perhaps even put her on notice or demoted her. I doubt the "joke" alone was enough to make her commit suicide, but it those who pushed her too far afterward would be the ones to blame.

[RadicalModerate]

I'm still amazed nothing disastrous has happened during a taping of punk'd, Jackass or some other similar prank show.

Consider for a moment the potential wake of death left by local Serial Prankster Roy D. Mercer . . .
Roy D. Mercer-Vol.6-#8-X-Ray Ologist - YouTube
. . . whose cruel madness these tragic events brought to mind after I thought I had completely forgotten about him.

[Hawk405359]

First of all, I thought the "joke" was tasteless and disrespectful.

Secondly, I think the blame shouldn't be on the radio hosts, but the hospital administration who probably gave the nurse a harsh talk about her being so gullible. Perhaps even put her on notice or demoted her. I doubt the "joke" alone was enough to make her commit suicide, but it those who pushed her too far afterward would be the ones to blame.

The hospital didn't punish her, according to the stories I read. Granted, they could be lying, but I haven't seen anything that said she was reprimanded.

[Prunepicker]

Why is this newsworthy in the USA?

What happens in the UK is news in the US. That's why I posted the
story. But, and it's a big but, some people don't care about it.

[BBatesokc]

Love how radio show was cancelled and the DJ's fired - yet, according to the DJ's, the recording of the 'prank' was approved by station management.

[kevinpate]

everything is fun and games ... until somebody gets an eye poked out.